Megamind: A Fan Novelization
by achrmy
Summary: This is a fan made novel of the DreamWorks movie Megamind inspired by my thoughts of the movie and what I have read in additional universe material. There are some scenes in this fanfiction that were not in the movie and I expand upon some other scenes.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Megamind belongs to DreamWorks SKG and I will not make any money from this fanfiction.

Author Note: This is a fan made novel of the movie inspired by my thoughts on the movie and what I have read in some of the additional universe material such as the book _The Art of Megamind._ There are some scenes in this fanfiction that were not in the movie and other scenes that were in the movie, but that I expand upon. There are also one or two elements from the junior novelization that I include as well.

* * *

Call it fate, destiny, what have you when, against extraordinary odds, a black hole wanders into a solar system. This tragedy occurred one day to two families in the Glaupunk Quadrant.

Alarms sounded. Red and blue lights flashed. Debris fell from cracking walls and ceilings. People screamed. As the tidal force began to tear their planet apart two parents rushed their infant son to a space capsule. To the eight day old alien baby the event was dark and surreal. Looking back on the day it felt more like his parents were urging him to move out of their broken home. He would only have a hazy recollection of what they looked like and he would not remember their teary eyes. He did remember his parents last words to him after they placed him in the capsule built for one, a lifeboat set into the vast ocean of space.

"Here is your Minion. He will look after you," his mother said and she placed a liquid filled globe containing a fishlike creature in her son's lap.

"And here is your binky," said his father and he placed a glowing, blue pacifier in his son's mouth.

"You are destined for ..." but the closing capsule door cut off his father's last words.

His son pondered those last few words. _Destined for ... what?_

There wasn't anymore time left. In a cloud of white the embraced figures of his parents vanished and the escape capsule blasted off. He set off to find his destiny.

However, he was not alone on that quest. Another family on a separate planet in the quadrant was able to rescue their son. Right away fate seemed to favor the later. While one child had smooth sailing the former had an encounter with an asteroid belt. Between one of the bumps the boy had his face pressed against the window and the two children could see one another. His counterpart sat in a golden capsule and looked exactly like the inhabitants of the world they were heading for. Before rocketing past the golden infant grinned and stuck out his tongue. Both of them landed on our planet, Earth, and their glorious rivalry was born.

* * *

The presence of extraterrestrials on Earth amazed even those with the wildest imaginations, but it was to no one's great surprise that, out of all other cities, Metro City would be their new home. This city is a self proclaimed crown jewel and a shining monument to a more enlightened world. It is graced with elegant architecture, soaring skyscrapers, and famous museums (to name a few) and the compact city limits also create a sense of community. Sometimes, though, people do forget the imperfections, noisy freeways laid through less than glamorous neighborhoods, the crumbling factories across the bay from the abandoned observatory, or the low income district east of downtown(to name a few). No city, not even in a brighter future, is very much perfect. Even on the gray December day when the two otherworldly infants arrived, the city was as dazzling as it was shabby. While one of the aliens appeared practically identical to humans and landed in the home of a wealthy and cordial family, the other did not share fortunate resemblance and happened to land in the courtyard of a prison.

All of the prisoners took an immediate liking to their strange visitor and took charge of his moral "education". The warden and guards were at quite a loss as what to do with their strange new inmate. The alien resembled a baby boy, although he was unlike any baby they had ever seen. The baby's entire body was cyan colored, his eyes were a vivid green, and he had a large head in proportion to the rest of his body, while everything else was comparable with human anatomy. To an even further extent, the baby alien exhibited intelligence and awareness far beyond any human baby. Why, it wasn't even two days after his arrival that the "baby" built a motorized tricycle, powered by his pacifier, that blasted holes in the floors and walls, releasing several prisoners and starting off a rocky relationship with the prison warden. Unable to make up their minds, the baby alien remained where he was and grew up in the prison.

As he grew older the boy alien absorbed the diverse life lessons of his fellow prisoners. The warden attempted to instill some discipline and respect in the boy, but the child responded with defiance, disregard for rules, and tended to create acts of mayhem. However, more than anything he longed to go outside the prison walls, so after working on his good behavior the warden allowed him to attend the next door, one room school house, Lil' Gifted School For Lil' Gifted Kids, when he was twelve years old in the hopes that the boy could better himself through learning.

On the first day of school parents hugged their children goodbye and wished them good luck at the bus stop. Two guards and the warden saw their young inmate off at the prison entrance. The blue boy was in chains and brought along his fish, Minion, when he boarded the Metro City Prison Bus to arrive at school. Like most children on this day he was nervous, but excited for his first day outside prison. When the bus dropped him off the two guards escorted him to the entrance.

The boy's mouth opened. While in prison everything was dark and gray and everyone wore orange, there were all sorts of colors and bright lights here. For the first time he saw children of all different colors his own age. However, not a single one of them was blue. Even though class had not started all of the students and the teachers were gathered in one place. One of the young boys was clearly attracting all the attention because he was flying while lifting the teacher, along with her desk, above him! The two alien boys' paths had crossed once again. Once the children and teacher caught a glimpse of the latest arrival they all stared and fell silent, the one boy doing so while hovering over the floor. The blue boy's ears reddened and he suddenly felt self conscious of his blue skin, orange prison uniform, and overly large bald head.

* * *

The blue boy soon discovered that he had a hard time fitting in at school and making friends. No one seemed very keen on spending time with the blue skinned odd ball. He tried to talk to some of his classmates, but the right words never seemed to come out of his mouth and he had a hard time relating to anyone.

However, the boy who could fly and shoot laser beams out of his eyes, Wayne Scott, usually known at school as Metro Boy, attracted love and affection like flies to fly paper. All he had to do was fly someone around the room, make popped corn with his laser vision, or carry the entire school library to get anything he wanted. Even without super powers he was well known, having been adopted by Lord and Lady Scott, one of the richest couples in Metro City. The blue boy did not even have a name, only titles like "young man", "bad boy, or simply boy". So, if he did not possess any social skills and could not pronounce simple words like squirrel, restaurant, and school, he decided to use his intellect to win their affections.

After his first day of school, he set to work right away on a device to produce popped corn and win over those drones who tripped over their own feet for Metro Boy. He approached the warden and, after several assurance the he had no bad intentions, the warden gave the blue boy what he wanted, a few dry corn on the cobs. Even after the call for lights out the boy brought out his glowing pacifier and continued into the night on his newest invention.

The next day he managed to catch the attention of his classmates and the teacher with Minion, in his globe, perched on top of a miniature, remote control robot.

"Now watch this," he said and pressed a button on his remote. Minion walked forward on his spindly robot legs to the bucket holding the corn cobs.

The blue boy looked at his audience. They looked disinterested, but were still paying attention. So far so good. He pressed another button.

A blue beam emitted from the pacifier attached to the robot and ignited the corn in a small blast.

A few children screamed and everyone scrambled away except Metro Boy. The blue boy frantically pressed buttons on the remote. _No, no no! I knew I should have slowed down and checked my circuits, but I wanted to do this today! _Meanwhile, Metro Boy flew forward and breathed in the fire and smoke. Then, he turned on his blue counterpart.

"It's time for the corner, blueberry head!" Metro Boy lifted him up by the back of his uniform and set him between the closet and the bookshelf. The blue boy tried to protest, but the teacher joined Metro Boy.

"Turn around and think about what you've done until I say you can come back. I'm sending the warden a note telling him you terrified me and your classmates today, so next time maybe you'll think about our safety first."

The boy sighed and turned around, but a moment later he glanced behind to see everyone smiling at Metro Boy as he hovered above the ground, a huge smile plastered across his face, and a sweater tied around his neck in a makeshift cape. The teacher smiled proudly and put a gold star sticker on his shirt.

"Thank you Metro Boy. Our little hero."

* * *

Soon the blue boy gave up trying to impress his classmates with his genius. They just did not have appreciation for brains when it came to brawn. Furthermore, Metro Boy was always watching him and sent him to timeout for teacher whenever he did anything bad. How was he supposed to know it was wrong to walk in the classroom with dirty shoes? What if he wanted to? The other kids made similar mistakes and they were not punished like the bad boy with the bald head. The lesson was that good received all the praise and adulation while evil was sent to quiet time. Everyday Metro Boy got at least one gold star, the blue boy stood in the corner, and the warden got a note from the teacher. The warden threatened to take him out of school every day, but the blue boy begged him not to. It was still slightly better than prison.

Fitting in was not an option, so most of the day the blue boy often sat by himself with Minion and worked on his inventions. He was grateful to at least have Minion because the fish was the only thing that was like a friend to him. He could talk and always stood by his side, well, not literally. He even offered to be the test subject for the blue boy's proudest invention, the dehydration gun. The device removed all the water from an inanimate object and turned the object into a blue cube the size of a cubic inch. Now he wondered if it would do the same for animate objects. So one day, while the other children sang Isty Bitsty Spider and Metro Boy played the accompaniment on a small guitar, (rather horribly the blue boy thought, but no one said anything), he looked around once, pulled out the miniature hand held gun and shot Minion with its' blue ray. The fish and the globe turned into a blue cube and the boy poured a few drops of water from his plastic cup on the cube. The cube turned back into a globe and fish, but to the boy's shock the fish was floating upside down and had it eyes closed. The boy gingerly taped the globe and the fish opened his eyes and smiled. The boy sighed with relief.

"You almost killed me sir," chided Minion with amusement.

"What a drama queen," the boy whispered.

"Recess kids!"

All the kids ran outside, but the blue boy was in no rush. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried, he was always the odd man out, the last one picked, the screw up, black sheep.

"Come on baldy, we're going to play dodge ball!"

The blue boy straightened up. Sure the kid called him names, but for the first time someone was inviting him to come out to play whatever dodgeball was. So he went outside and lined up against the school house wall with the other students while Metro Boy picked the team, one by one. The boy was hopeful, but once again the kid with the blue skin and large bald head was the last one picked. Even the girl with her leg in a cast was picked before him. The next thing he knew the students picked up red rubber balls and the blue boy braced himself.

"Get him!"

The dozen or so balls that hit him did not hurt so much, but they did sting and the one from Metro Boy knocked him to the ground. The kids laughed and took off for the swings and playground.

"Sir, sir!" Minion rolled over. "Are you alright?"

"I think so." The boy pushed himself up to a sitting position. He stared for a moment at the laughing and playing students. Then he stood. "I'll be right back Minion."

He went back in the school and into the restroom. He paused for a moment and then glanced up at the reflection of his large head, watery eyes, and blue face streaked with a few tears.

* * *

Once again the blue boy stayed up late at night working on another invention. The next day the kids wanted to play dodge ball again, but the boy put on a black helmet complete with spikes, a strap under his chin, and his blue pacifier perched on top, sparking blue. The kids laughed at his even more awkward looking head and threw their balls.

Perhaps he had been just a little too enthusiastic. The blue force field generated by the helmet blocked the balls as intended, but then the field sent them shooting back outwards causing quite a bit of damage. A window broke, a few people got hit by balls, even the warden down the block, although Metro Boy was able to use his super speed to block a ball from hitting the teacher. This earned the blue boy his longest timeout yet.

He lingered over the constant rejection and misfortune that had constantly followed him while Metro Boy received his fifth gold star for the day. Everyone called him bad, everyone said whatever he did was evil. He never could do anything to their liking, only bring mayhem and do evil. In fact, as shown by today, he was rather good at it. And it was a bit funny to hear the students scream as they ducked his flying balls or see the warden growl when he blasted another set of bars on purpose or by accident. In fact he even looked the part from what he had seen in the few comics and books he read.

All his life he wondered about his destiny and what was his purpose in life. Well, destiny could not be giving him a clearer sign. So…if he was the bad boy, then he was going the be the baddest boy of them all!

The boy stared at the closet in his corner full of all sorts of bottles with chemicals. He gave an evil smile, did some quick calculations, and grabbed several of the bottles.

A moment later the entire school house erupted in a puff of blue smoke. The students screamed, but the smoke was not poisonous, just hard to see through. The teacher and Metro Boy escorted the students safely outside the building. Everyone was covered in blue and very irritated, much to the boy's delight. The teacher called the prison and Metro Boy grabbed the bad boy. He did not even try to hide, instead he smiled at his successful act of mayhem while waiting for the bus to take him back to jail for the last time. He was still smiling was the bus drove him away and he sat in the back watching his former classmates. Metro Boy stuck out his tongue and lifted up the entire school house to move it to safety, far from the prison, and the kids and teacher cheered. Both boys knew that they would be seeing each other again soon enough. After all, they both believed they were destined to be rivals.

After the school vanished in the distance the boy's smile faltered for just a moment as he thought, _Would I still be destined to be a super villain if they had been nice to me?_

_

* * *

_

The warden's face sported a very familiar frown under his handlebar brown mustache, punctuated by a noticeable red bump on his forehead. The boy tried only half heartedly to hold back a grin.

"What do you have to say for yourself young man?"

The boy did not answer. He only looked right back defiantly and now barely concealed his grin.

"So you don't feel sorry for what you've done?"

"No."

The warden sighed and spoke in a hard voice. "I've given you enough chances to become a good citizen, boy. You're a villain and you'll always be a villain."

"That's the idea," the boy replied and then he struck a dramatic pose and raised his voice. "And my name is **Megamind**, criminal genius and master of all villainy!"

"Well, _Megamind_, you're never going to get leave this prison. I will to see to that." The warden gestured to two guards and they began to escort the self christianized young Megamind back to his cell.

"Oh really?" Megamind whispered and he and Minion shared a smile.

* * *

A few months later a small explosion rattled the prison. Megamind escaped from prison for the first time and began a enduring career for life as a super villain. At the age of fourteen he was already hatching schemes to conquer Metro City and eventually the world. This set him up for his rivalry against Metro Boy, who soon became Metro Man, defender of Metro City. Their matches of good versus evil, devilish schemes versus heroic strength, were like the events from story books. Each battle had its' own unique devices, but the players and goals were always the same. Sometimes Metro Man won the day, other times Megamind _almost _won. The citizens cheered their hero and soaked up the excitement. A beautiful woman reporter broadcasted the story every week and praised the city hero. Despite every failure Megamind never got discouraged, never gave up, and never failed to remind Metro City that he, Megamind, incredibly handsome, criminal genius and master of all villainy, would one day defeat Metro Man and rule the world.

* * *

Author Note: If anyone would like to be a beta reader send me an email.


	2. Chapter 2

"Happy Metro Man Day Metro City!" announced a female KMCP television reporter. She was part of the day's media event at the foot of the flight of stairs leading to a towering structure, partially covered by a golden curtain. Extending out from the monument was a long reflecting pool. Two pairs of fighter jets soared overhead.

People were gathering around television sets or driving downtown to celebrate their hero. This day promised to be one to remember for a long time. Several of them tuned into channel eight KMCP to watch a familiar face, Roxanne Ritchi. She had short brown hair that just touched her ears and today wore a fashionable red and black dress when she gave her report.

"It's a beautiful day in beautiful downtown where we're here to honor a beautiful man. Metro Man. His heart is an ocean that is inside a bigger ocean. For years he's been watching us with his super vision, saving us with his super strength, and caring for us with his super heart. Now it's our turn to give something back. This is Roxanne Ritchi reporting live from the dedication of the Metro Man Museum."

Opposite Roxanne a red haired, pudgy young man lowered the camera.

"Wow, okay, the stuff they make you read on air...that's unfreaking believable, that crazy," he said.

Roxanne frowned. "I wrote that piece myself Hal."

Hal's eyes widened and he scrambled to correct himself. "What I was trying to say was...I can't believe that, in our modern society, they let like, actual art get onto the news."

"Nice save Hal." Roxanne smiled good naturedly.

"Why don't we, like, let's just get coffee or something," Hal said.

"Come on, it's time to get in the Metro Man Day spirit!" She gestured around to the tens of thousands of Metro City citizens already out early that spring morning. Such an event was bound to catch a certain villain's eye, but no one bothered to worry about Megamind. He was safe in jail now, ever since his last defeat from Metro Man.

"Well, if I was Metro Man, Megamind wouldn't be kidnapping you all the time," Hal replied. "That's the first thing."

"That's sweet Hal."

"And I'd be watching you," he added. "Like...a dingo watches a human baby."

"Hmmm." Roxanne pursed her lips and looked at Hal with gentle uncertainty.

"Okay that sounded, that sounded a little weird," he admitted.

"A little bit, yeah."

Hal turned red and quickly walked away from her to open the doors of the van. "You're making a weird face, and that's making me feel weird..." he stammered as he fiddled with the camera.

Roxanne just smiled and sighed. Hal wasn't really all that bad and he was a good cameraman.

Suddenly she heard a noise, like someone shaking some kind of spray or whipped cream. She turned in time to glimpse a blue can before feeling a soft spray. She tried to wave the fumes away, but the next second everything became dark.

* * *

At the Metro City Penitentiary the warden walked up to the prison's maximum security cell with a small package in hand. His hair and mustache had turned silver by now, but his firm stride had not slowed one bit.

"Read on your own time!" he snapped at the guard reading the Metro City Newspaper with the headline **Metro Man Museum Opening.** The rest of the city may have been on holiday, but the warden and the guards had a job do. "Open up."

The metal shade on the circular prison window collapsed and the warden peered through the glass. Megamind's own prison cell was a small circular room painted with colorful rainbows, unicorns, dolphins, and other cute animals. Across the walls, red, cursive letters spelled out _Happy Thoughts Make Happy People._ It was all part of the prison psychologist's theory that a positive environment would pacify Megamind and reduce his prison escapes. The warden did not believe in that poppycock, but the penitentiary was receiving a lot of research funds, so the design went forward.

The rest of the cell layout was fairly standard. There was a cot on one side, a television on the wall, and a rotating chair in the center.

"Hey!" The warden gasped. Megamind was no where in sight.

"**BOOO!"**

"**Ahhh**!" The warden jumped back when Megamind suddenly appeared from the blind spot by the door and slammed his face on the window. Megamind chuckled and pranced into the chair while the warden scowled.

Several years had passed since Megamind's last day at school, but not much had changed. Megamind was still blue, had green eyes, and a large bald head, but otherwise he now resembled a somewhat spindly adult and sported a black, thin goatee on his chin. Even in prison he played the roll of villain with style and loved every minute of it.

"Good morning warden!" he crowed and spun around in the chair a few times. "Great news! I'm a changed man and I'm ready to reenter society as a solid citizen."

"You're a villain! And you'll always be a villain," Megamind's one time guardian retorted. "You'll never change. And you'll never leave."

Megamind just smiled. "You're fun."

"You got a present in the mail." The warden held up the package up to the window.

"Is it a puppy?"

The warden pulled out a black and silver wristwatch that looked quite intricate. He noticed a small note on the watch band.

"From Metro Man," the warden read. "To count every second of your eighty-five life sentences. That's funny, I never thought Metro Man was the gloating type." The warden held up the watch for closer inspection. "Oh, but he does have nice taste. I think I'll keep it." The warden fastened the watch around his left wrist.

"Any chance you could give me the time?" asked Megamind. "I don't want to be late for the opening of the Metro Man Museum."

"Oh no!" the warden said with mock sadness and he looked down at the watch. "Looks like you're going to miss it...by several thousand years!" He turned away and the window closed.

"Oh _am_ I?" Megamind laughed softly, placing his finger tips together.

* * *

Traffic towards downtown was bummer to bummer and anyone coming late had no chance of finding a place to park within walking distance. Once or twice someone thought they saw a flash on the empty outbound lanes or a shimmer against the background in the shape of a car. The next second it was gone.

* * *

The warden was all business when it came to running the prison. Like every other day he dressed in a professional suit and tie with a relaxed fit and patrolled the prison corridors. He had a strong sense of duty and responsibility, especially when it came to keeping Metro City's most notorious criminal locked away. Time after time the warden failed to keep him off the streets, but this time would be different.

He did not notice Megamind's watch at his wrist give a faint whirl and scan a blue light from his head to his feet. The watch gave another whirl and the warden flickered and vanished now replaced with Megamind in his prison uniform. However, he continued his upright posture and straight step.

Two guards were seated at a folding table further down the corridor playing cards. Megamind snapped at them.

"Get back to work! The city doesn't pay you to loaf."

Their mouths opened and they both leapt up. Megamind turned and looked shocked.

"Whoa, what are you doing? Guys it's me!" he yelled as one guard grabbed him and the other raised a taser. "It's the warden!" The taser sparked and who the guards thought was Megamind hung limp in their hands, at which point they dragged him back to his cell.

Meanwhile, the real Megamind crouched hidden behind the chair and waited until the warden was handcuffed to the armrests before removing the watch from the warden's blue wrist. This caused the image projection to blur and vanish.

"No you fools, he's tricked us," slurred the warden, his true appearance and voice now restored, and the guards turned around.

Megamind stood in the open doorway.

"You were right about me," he said and lifted up his wrist to turn a dial on the watch. His image morphed into the warden. "I'll always be a villain," he added before backing out the doorway and letting loose an evil laugh.

"_Muahahahaha_!"

The cell door slammed behind him locking in the current occupants.

* * *

All over the prison alarms sounded and the guards scrambled to lock down all the entrances. No one stopped the warden even though he strolled with a spring in his step and had a very unnatural smile on his face. If Megamind needed to address anyone he would do so since his holowatch had also recorded the warden's speech pattern.

Megamind walked without incident past the vehicle checkpoint, even gave the guard a over exaggerated salute. He paused at the side of the street until he heard a skid and saw the foreground shimmer.

The shape of a car window appeared revealing the black leather front seats of a car and a most peculiar person seated in the drivers seat. It was Minion, still fishlike and in a bowl, but he now perched on top of a gorilla shaped robot suit. The suit was Megamind's invention and very convenient for Minion since the actions of the suit followed his intentions. For all these years Minion played his part in Megamind's schemes and was loyal, almost to a fault.

"Well, hello good looking!" Minion chimed, and opened the passenger door for Megamind. "Need a lift?"

"Certainly, do you fantastic fish you!" exclaimed Megamind in the warden's tone of voice.

"Get in the car you!"

Minion spun the car around blasted off towards the city center.

"Good work sending me the watch Minion!" Megamind turned the holowatch dial, restoring his true image. He gave his friend and underling a few playful jabs.

"You got it boss!"

Megamind glanced in the back seat and saw Roxanne bound, unconscious, and with a bag over her head. He gave a devilish smile. Everything was going perfectly. Now to set his grand, evil plan in motion.

* * *

At this time all the spectators gathered around the reflecting pool, shoulder to shoulder, and faced the yet to be unveiled Metro Man Museum. A few volunteers moved a brick wall by the podium on top of the stairway for the guest of honor. A moment later there was the sound of bricks falling and when the smoke cleared Metro Man stood poised, with his fist cocked.

He had grown into a man with chiseled good looks and an exhibition of massive muscle. His superhero costume was white and gray with a large silver M across his rippling chest and other flairs added for fashion. His white gauntlets and boots were complete with white buckskin fringe. More gold buttons covered his chest and belt than you'll find on a twentieth century Viennese bellboy's uniform. His head was topped with luscious, dark hair that, lately, was not quite so dark. Perhaps fouling Megamind's schemes had given him a few gray hairs.

"Alright, put you hands in the air!" he boomed and sported a cocky smile.

The crowd gave a huge cheer that shook the nearby tree branches and windows. Background music started up, an upbeat tune from the still popular Elvis Presley. Metro Man did a few dance steps, spun around and swayed to the music with flair before flying into the air.

"Heeeeeyyyyyy Metro City!"

The whole crowd gave a great noise. Women and men swooned.

"Who's the man?"

"**Metro Man**!"

Metro Man soared once around the assembly and lowered his hand to give high fives. He circled around back over the stage with three babies from the front row and started to juggle them. He showed off a few fancy throws before tossing the babies back to their ecstatic parents. From the podium the city mayor tossed Metro Man a golden microphone, which he deftly caught. Metro Man flashed everyone a pearly, white grin.

"Hey Metro City," he said, with class.

The crowd made an even louder noise.

"Hey. Hey. Hey." Metro Man pointed at random places in the crowd. Then his expression turned a bit serious.

"You know, you know I just want to take it down a bit. Boys a little lower. Thank you fellas."

The music stopped, the crowd noise diminished, and Metro Man drifted over the crowd. One woman was able to reach up and kiss his boot. He settled on the center of the reflecting pool and walked on its' surface as he poured out his thoughts.

"Although getting a whole museum is supper cool, is supper cool...you wanna know what the greatest honor you've given me is? Do you really want to know? Really?"

Metro City gave its' answer.

"I'll tell you. The greatest honor you've given me is letting me serve you, the helpless people of Metro City. And at the end of everyday, well, I often ask myself, 'Who would I be without you?'" Metro Man paused, as though he was asking himself this very question right now.

A single man's voice broke the silence.

"I love you Metro Man!"

"And I love you random citizen!" Metro Man called out. The crowd cheered and their hero rode a fountain of water up into the air and showered the people with a gentle mist.

* * *

The invisible cloak vanished off Megamind's car when it rolled into the cavern of his secret hideout. Megamind stepped out and gave a happy sigh. Minion followed with Roxanne still unconscious and slung over his shoulder. Megamind's new home was dark and cluttered, just as he liked it. All sort of gadgets and gizmos, some in motion and operational, others cold and dark hung from the brick walls and ceiling. The floors were covered with boxes and containers and workbenches brimming with tools and parts. The only light originated from glowing view screens flashing unusual signs and symbols. It was all a brimming genius with fingers itching to create things that destroy could ask for.

"Ahh, I tell you Minion, there's no place like evil lair."

"I kept it cold and damp just for you sir."

Megamind vanished briefly behind a curtain and came out dressed in his super-villain costume. Every part of his body below the neck was covered in skintight black and blue leather. A blue lightning bolt rose vertically along his chest starting below his utility belt. He grew two inches due to the lifts in his boots and his black gauntlets were covered in silver spikes. To complete the costume Megamind wore a blue and black cape complete with shoulder pads with more silver spikes and a collar that came up to his pointed ears. The spikes, however, were more benign than they appeared; the tips were fairly blunt.

"How do I look Minion? Do I look bad?"

"Disgustingly horrifying sir."

"You always know what to say."

The lair began to fill with electronic dog calls from small flying robots. They resembled the grubbiness of the lair and each one was a mishmash of different pieces, but they all shared a similar design. A glass-dome head filled with arcs of electric light dominated their figure and each one was no larger than a cat. Below the dome each had a metal jaw, in front there was a single light bulb, and above was usually a jagged fin. Dangling off the jaw hinge were various arms and tools. They all swarmed around Megamind.

"Oh, the Brainbots certainly missed you sir."

"Did you miss your daddy?" Megamind coddled his miniature creations. "Who's the menacing little cyborg? You are, yes you are!"

One of the Brainbots with a red fin gave a jab at its' master's hand. "Ah, ah. No biting. No, no, no, no, no. You want the wrench? Go get the wrench!" Megamind threw the wrench and all the robot flew in its' direction.

Minion and Megamind then rode an elevator to the grand stage for the event, all the while laughing. He had escaped from jail yet again and soon Metro Man would be brought to heel.

Roxanne started to struggle over Minion's shoulder. Megamind was ecstatic.

"She's awake! Quick, to work!" He settled down in a swivel chair with a high back perfect for dramatic reveals and composed himself.

* * *

Roxanne gasped as the bag smothering her with the strong aroma of coffee beans lifted off her head. When she first woke and realized she was bound and blind she felt more annoyed than usual. Megamind always had no regard for her personal life when it came to using her in his schemes to destroy Metro Man, but she had hoped she could celebrate today like everyone else. Instead she was bound uncomfortably to a wooden chair and Minion was standing beside her. Capture by Megamind and the eventual rescue from Metro Man was, she admitted to herself, a bit exciting, but not so much more than a holiday. She did not even need to guess who was seated in the chair facing away from her.

Megamind swung the chair around dramatically. An evil leer played across his face and he stroked one of his robots lying in his lap.

"Miss Ritchi...we meet again."

"Would it kill you to wash the bag?" she sighed, unfazed.

"You can scream all you wish Miss Ritchi! I'm afraid no one can hear you!"

Roxanne just raised an eyebrow. Really, when was the last time she had screamed during these affairs?

Megamind, however, looked puzzled. "Why isn't she screaming?"

Minion leaned over to Roxanne. "Miss Ritchi, if you don't mind..." he asked nicely, but Roxanne did not feel like humoring Megamind.

"Like this," said Megamind and he pressed his hand on the Brainbot's dome, mildly shocking his hand. "Ahhh! That, that's a poor lady's scream."

The Brainbot, agitated by Megamind's action, clamped its' jaws down on Megamind's hand.

"**AHHHH**!" Megamind leapt up and tried to shake the Brainbot off his hand.

"He's a little better," Roxanne admitted. While Megamind tried to pry the Brainbot off she took the time to gather in her surrounding. The circular room and dome overhead was full of Megamind's odd gadgets, although the telescope looked out of place.

"Is there some kind of nerdy, super-villain website where you get tesla coils and blinky dials?" she asked.

"Actually," Minion chimed in, "most of it comes from an outlet store in ..."

"Don't answer that!" Megamind interrupted. Roxanne looked up at Minion.

"Romania.." Minion whispered.

"Don't! Stop!" Megamind swung himself in the chair over between her and Minion. "She's using her nosy reporter skills on your weak willed mind to find out all our secrets." Minion gasped and Megamind glared at Roxanne. She just gave a little smile and shrugged.

Megamind's face loomed next to her's. "Such tricks, won't work...on me."

"Please talk slower," she whispered.

"Temptress."

"Wh-what secrets?" she exclaimed. "You're _soooo_ predictable."

Megamind's face fell. "Predictable? Predictable? Oh, you call **this** predictable?" he stood up by a control panel and dramatically flung a switch.

Instantly the floor opened and Roxanne was perched over a tank of alligators that leapt up and snapped at her heels.

"Alligators, yes. I was thinking about it on the way over." She shifted her legs an inch.

Megamind flung a lever. "What's this? Boom! In your face!"

A rotating barrel machine gun appeared.

"Cliche."

"No, look! Watch!"

Vibrating spikes.

"Juvenile."

"Shock and awe!"

A set of buzz saws.

"Tacky."

"Oh, it's so scary!"

A rotating wheel with boots.

"Seen it."

"What's this one do?" Megamind turned a wheel.

A flame thrower.

"Dareish."

Megamind collapsed on the control panel, exhausted.

"Okay, the spider's new," she admitted.

"Spider?" said Megamind. A small spider was hanging down in front of her face. Clearly he had not planned this she realized, but he played along.

"Uhh yes, the..the spee-yiy-dorr." Megamind strolled up to her, his voice was dripping with menace. "Even the smallest bite from arachnious deathicous will instantly paralyze...ahhh!" Roxanne blew the spider into Megamind's eye. Minion punched Megamind's face, sending him falling to the floor.

"Get it off! Ow!"

Roxanne sighed at the pitiful sight in front of her. People often wondered why she was so unfazed by her kidnappings from Megamind. She knew that, while he was evil and she generally disliked him, he was nothing to fear. In fact it was almost hard to believe the evil part. He had never even killed anyone.

"Give it up Megamind," she sighed. "Your plans never work."

Megamind stood up, flustered and embarrassed. He tried to compose himself.

"Let's stop wasting time and call your boyfriend in tights, shall we?" Megamind raised his hand dramatically and the Brainbot clamped down on it.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! I appreciate it when others give me criticism I need to hear and I feel fulfillment when others tell me I have done good.


	3. Chapter 3

Megamind belongs to DreamWorks SKG and I will not make any money from this fanfiction.

I now have a beta reader.

* * *

Back at the Metro Man Museum the celebration was reaching its' climax.

"It is with great pleasure that I present to Metro Man this new museum," the city mayor announced and he gestured to Metro Man and the red ribbon behind him. "Metro Man, if you please."

Metro Man stepped forward and severed the ribbon with his laser vision. The curtain descended, revealing a massive, rotating white statue, at least fifty stories high and flanked on each side by two equally tall white monoliths. The statue was a perfect depiction of Metro Man's flawless physique, his bulging arms holding aloft a golden ball, to represent the world Metro Man protected.

Suddenly—and predictably enough—there was a sudden rumble, almost like thunder, and a dark, ominous cloud appeared behind the statue. The crowd let out a collective gasp. Darkness shrouded the entire ceremony and Megamind's face appeared on the twin monoliths as he broadcasted from his lair.

"_Muahahahahahahaha_!" Megamind's face loomed over the crowd from both screens as he let out his evil laugh. Metro Man hovered in front of them.

"_Megamind,_" he retorted.

"Oh, _bravo_ Metro Man." Megamind delivered his sarcastic congratulations for the new museum and gave a few claps. Everyone assembled glared at Megamind and let out collective boos and hisses. The city's super-villain, completely undeterred, only laughed.

"Booooooo. Yes, I can play along too. Booooooo."

"Should have known you'd try to crash the party," Metro Man said.

"Oh, I intend to do more than crash it. This is the day you and Metrocity will not soon forget!"

"It's pronounced: **Metro City**!"

"Oh, potato, tomato, potato, tomato," Megamind scoffed.

"We all know how this ends," Metro Man said gesturing to the crowd. "With you behind bars."

"Oh!" Megamind cried out in faux fear. "I'm shaking in my custom baby seal leather boots! **You** will leave Metrocity, or this will be the last you ever hear of...**Roxanne Ritchi**!" Megamind hit a switch and one of the two makeshift screens changed, showing Roxanne, bound and captive, back at the evil lair. She appeared quite relaxed.

"Roxanne!" Metro Man gasped and all of Metro City with him. "Don't panic Roxy. I'm on my way."

"Yeah, I'm not panicking."

"In order to stop me you need to find me first, Metro Man."

"We're at the abandoned observatory," Roxanne said.

"Aha!" Metro Man shouted.

"No we're not!" Megamind turned off her display, but Metro Man was already leaving. "Don't listen to her, she's crazy!"

* * *

Back at the lair, a monitor showed Metro Man emerging out of the dark clouds covering downtown and flying towards the final stage.

"Metro Man approaching sir," said Minion.

"Ha!" Roxanne exclaimed in triumph.

"Ha! Ha!" Megamind retorted.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Roxanne again.

"_Muauahahahaha...hahahaha_." Megamind pulled a switch and all his deadly devices surrounding Roxanne retracted. She watched them vanish, confused.

"He's starting his descent sir," Minion reported. Roxanne ducked and braced for collision. It was getting to the point where she could time these events.

Silence. Nothing happened. She waited another moment and then lifted her head. _What was going on?_ She glanced at Megamind and he smiled at her.

"Oh good heavens, you didn't think you were in the real observatory, _did you_?" The lair's dome opened and she was looking across the bay towards the downtown skyline. Between them was the peninsula and the familiar observatory perched on top of the cliffs.

Her mouth opened in shock and Megamind laughed.

"Ready the Death Ray Minion," he hissed.

Minion pressed some buttons and a display came up showing the schematics and status of Megamind's deadly orbiting satellite. "Death Ray readying."

* * *

Metro Man gazed around the dark, empty observatory, puzzled. When Roxanne had mentioned the observatory he had not doubted her for a second. Starting several years ago there had been no place for an observatory as large as this one near a large city, even with light pollution regulations. However, it had still remained standing all these years on top of the cliffs over by Metro City's industrial complex. To anyone it would be a perfect place for Megamind to hide and launch an attack. Now Metro Man had just crashed through the open dome, but there was no Roxanne, just a large red X smeared on the floor. Just then the doors of the dome closed and he heard a familiar voice.

"Over here, old friend." Megamind's face looked down on him, displayed on the inside face of the dome. "In case you haven't noticed, you've fallen right into my trap."

"You can't trap justice. It's an idea. A _belief_."

"Well even the most heartfelt belief can be corroded over time," Megamind said. Thus began the two adversaries' rapid fire banter.

"Justice is a noncorrosive metal," replied Metro Man with resolve.

"But metals can be melted by the heat of _revange_."

"It's _revenge_, and it's best served cold!"

"But it can easily be reheated in the microwave of evil!"

"Well, I think your warranty is about to expire."

"Maybe I got an extended warranty!"

"Warranties are invalid if you don't use the product for its' intended purpose!"

Back in the lair Roxanne groaned. "Girls girls, you're both pretty. Can I go home now?"

"Of course," said Megamind, before getting in the last dramatic word. "That is...if Metro Man can withstand the _full...concentrated... power..._of the **sun! FIRE!"**

A second passed. Then another. Megamind held his dramatic pose for a few more before cringing and scuttling off screen over to Minion.

"Minion," he whispered. "Fire?"

"Uh, it's still warming up sir."

"Come again?"

"Warming up sir."

"Warming up? The _sun_ is warming up?"

Minion leaned towards the display of the Death Ray's status. "One... sec-cond... more …annnnd... just a tippytappytiptaptiptop more and... we are ready in just a few..."

Back at the Metro Man Museum the people watched the events unfold. Everyone else was glued to a television set or the internet. The mayor checked his watch. Most people were starting to raise eyebrows and look annoyed. When was the villain going to realize that he could never win, that he could never understand the strength that goodness possessed?

Megamind placed his hands over his face. "Honestly! I told you to have things ready. I told you countless times..."

"Why do you always blame me?" asked Minion.

Megamind moaned. "My spider bit is acting up!"

"Your plan is failing. Just admit it," Roxanne said.

"Yeah, good luck with that one," Minion replied.

"Who's side are you on?" Megamind said, offended.

"The losing side," Roxanne put in.

"Thank you.." Minion said, uncomfortably.

"Uh, could someone stamp my frequent kidnapping card?"

"_Ohhhohohohohoho_," Megamind laughed and leaned towards her in all seriousness. "You of all people know we discontinued that promotion." He turned on his foot. "Ciao, ciao all!" He waved good bye as he moved to exit.

"Same time next week?" she inquired. Minion held the spray bottle up to her face.

Suddenly, there was a clang and a grunt coming from the transmission of the observatory.

"Fargon, dag, crab nuggets!" Metro Man was still trapped in the observatory.

Megamind turned and looked at the footage from the observatory, confused. "What did he just say?"

"Crab nuggets?" Minion replied.

Megamind walked back over to the view screen. Metro Man continued to spew out nonsense and lay strewn out across the observatory floor, looking exhausted. The inside of the dome was filled with dents, but was still tightly shut.

"Good Lord! I'm trapped!" he gasped.

"What kind of trickery is this?" Megamind's face reappeared on the dome wall.

"You mad genius! Your dark gift has finally...paid off!" Gone were Metro Man's cocky mannerisms and proud declarations.

"It...it has?"

"This dome is obviously lined...with copper..."

"Yeah...so?"

"Sir!" Minion pointed to the Death Ray's displayed progress. Megamind ignored him, unable to tear his eyes from the weakened hero before him.

"Copper...drains my powers..." Metro Man panted between breaths.

The satellite started to hum. _Full Power. Full Power._

"Your weakness is copper?" Megamind was taken aback. "You're kidding, right?"

The sky over the observatory lit up. There was a flash and then an explosion with a large fire ball that consumed the observatory. Subsequent smaller explosions followed, ending with one last massive blast. Even from the lair Megamind and Minion had to brace themselves against falling debris, and the last explosion knocked them off their feet. When it was all over a dark cloud hung over the site, but it was clear that the entire cliff was now a huge crater.

They both struggled to their feet, coughing out dust and looking a bit worse for wear. Roxanne managed to remain upright in the chair, but her hair was windswept and both she and Megamind had ash smeared across their faces.

Minion coughed. "I don't think...even he could survive that."

"Well, let's not get out hopes up just yet," Megamind cautioned.

"Look!" Minion pointed. At that moment, rising out of the dark cloud, flew a white figure, cape billowing in the wind.

"Metro Man," Roxanne said with admiration.

"Metro Man..." Megamind sighed, sounding almost relieved. Then the impending beat-down came to mind. "Metro Man!" He and Minion scrambled for cover.

Smack! Megamind felt a collision that threw him off his feet. He fell to the ground in front of Roxanne and felt someone on top of him. He opened his eyes and looked straight into the empty sockets of a fleshless, grinning skull.

"Oh god, oh god, god, oh!" he gasped as he untangled himself from the former Metro Man's cape and scrambled to his feet to place as much distance between himself and the grisly sight.

Roxanne gave a loud gasp.

Everyone stared in disbelief for a second. Back at the museum everything was deathly silent. No one else in the city stirred.

"You did it sir," said Minion.

"I did it?"

"He did it," the mayor squeaked.

"I did it," Megamind stated.

"He did it," the warden said, his somber tone lower than usual.

"You did it sir."

"I did it."

His triumph was finally sinking in and Megamind leapt up. Metro Man was _gone_.

"You did it!"

"I did it!"

Roxanne looked at Megamind, horrified.

"Metrocity is **mine**!"

He felt elated. He felt vindicated. No one in Metrocity had believed that he could do it, but just as he had always said, each one of his failures had been just one more step towards defeating Metro Man. Now he had really done it! Victory felt..surprising...unbelievable...amazing.

Roxanne was numb. Metro Man, the city's selfless hero could not possibly have been destroyed! He was, well, he was _indestructible_! But the truth was at her feet; Megamind had killed him and now, when anyone with even a shred of decency would be silent with horror, he was _cheering_.

She felt dread creep up inside her. _What will happen to Metro City now? _She bit her lip, but ultimately her reporter's instinct was too strong. "How could you?" she said, her voice stiff with anger.

Megamind halted and looked at Roxanne, as though he had forgotten she was still there. "Ahhh, Miss Ritchi, you're still here! Well...it seems you've reached the end of your usefulness...so I suppose..." Megamind was at a loss as to what to do with her. Till now Metro Man had always taken his girlfriend to safety.

"How about you let me go?" she retorted.

"Oh, don't think you'll get away that easily." Megamind leaned toward her. For the first time in years Roxanne felt afraid. She leaned away from him, glaring into his wide green eyes. "Minion, the spray," he ordered perfunctorily. Minion shook the blue can and leveled it at her face; Roxanne gave Megamind's retreating back a cold look before she slumped over, unconscious in the chair.

"Sir, what about...?"

"What?"

"You know...the uh...the uh," Minion grimaced and gestured towards the remains.

"Oh, yes, of course, the...uh..._that_!" Megamind also looked uncomfortable, his hands waving wildly. "I guess you should just... get rid of it...although leave the cape...I mean... Well, what do people usually do with...those?" This was feeling increasingly awkward. He wanted to get back to celebrating, surely normal super-villains did not have to deal with inconvenient skeletons!

"I believe the deceased's friends and relatives have a ceremony to honor their memory. Then they are buried or burned depending on their preference, sir," Minion said.

"Burned?" Megamind repeated.

"Yes, sir. Burning bodies is a human tradition."

"How absolutely primitive of them-why don't they just use a disintegrator ray to reduce them to their atomic compounds?"

"Well, sir, not everyone has access to the chillingly horrifying inventions that you have created."

"True, true. They are truly repulsive, aren't they Minion? No wonder they needed Metro Man and myself to deliver constant doses of spectacular, ingenious entertainment into their atrocious lives."

"Yes, sir. Why don't we take Miss Ritchi and Metro Man both down to City Hall right now? After all, that is where we're headed."

"Minion, I can't leave now! We have nothing planned for the victory celebration. You go ahead and drop them off; I'll stay here and put together a diabolical scheme to stun those metropolitan peons with my supreme _awesomeness!"_

"Yes, sir," Minion said wryly. He swung Miss Ritchi over his shoulder. "I didn't think victory would be this complicated."

"Well, we can't just walk up to the mayor with a gun and smile, can we? A super-villain needs a production, something to strike terror into the heart of Metrocity!"

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! I appreciate it when others give me criticism I need to hear and I feel fulfillment when others tell me I have done well. A special thanks to my beta reader Your_Worshipfulness, who is helping me write this, starting with chapter 3, which would not have been this good if not for this person.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Megamind belongs to DreamWorks SKG and I will not make any money from this fanfiction.

* * *

Nightfall came quickly to Metro City. The streets were empty and silent. People locked their doors and pulled the shades over their windows. The only activity was down at City Hall where helicopters circled overhead. All the city police officers stood in a barricade formation with their guns at the ready. A swarm of reporters and the city officials stood behind them, though no one looked particularly engaged; in fact all those assembled looked rather lost and confused.

Megamind had not made his intentions known, but no one doubted that he was setting his sights on Metro City City Hall, the most prominent symbol of government authority. The original one story building was constructed way back in 1831, but once the city transformed into a national epicenter the original building was reconstructed and sported many additions. The result was a white stone building of theatrical size with a dome to rival the U.S. Capitol building. It fit in perfectly with the Metro Man Museum located on the other side of the plaza.

The building was lit up brilliantly as usual, but outside darkness surrounded it. City lights still shone along Metro Man Boulevard, but the street still seemed fairly dark with no one out and all the businesses closed. Then a blue haze appeared in the distance, down the road.

Megamind strolled down the street, Minion beside him, a swarm of his Brainbots behind him. Megamind was still glowing with happiness even hours after Metro Man's demise.

"I did it!"

"You did it sir! You did it sir!'

"Yes I did.

"Us-",

"I-"

"We both did!"

"Not us, I!"

"You a little more than me, but still come on..."

"I, a lot more than you."

"When they're giving out the awards I'm going to be right there next to you, right sir?"

Megamind chuckled. "What awards? What awards for what?" City Hall was now in sight and Megamind was ready for his terrifyingly awesome entrance. He cocked one shoulder and pointed at Minion. "Hit it!"

Minion hoisted a large boom box on his gorilla-sized robot shoulder and started the tape player. Despite being incredibly out of date, this audio device blaring out AC/DC's _Highway to Hell _was visually intimidating and also cool-especially with the slight modifications that allowed it to broadcast at a decibel level that was frankly terrifying. Megamind launched into his hastily-choreographed dance moves for the remainder of his victory march. At a pre-arranged signal, the water in the reflecting pool exploded, showering City Hall in a heavy mist. All the officers held their guns at the ready, but only a few of them were not shaking with terror.

The mist turned an even eerier blue and then vivid red and blue lasers flashed everywhere. Brainbots swarmed all around. Megamind skipped fearlessly up to the barricade. "Hahahahaha! Drop em," he commanded in his most menacing voice.

Every man and woman officer set their weapons on the pavement and watched Megamind dance through the crowd, up the stairs, to the entrance of City Hall. He took his time, laughing at their faces and giving the mayor's cheeks a squeeze. At the top of the stairs he stood with his back to the audience and turned around dramatically. Then he signaled Minion to cut the music.

"_Loving youuuuuuu..."_

Megamind froze in horror and slowly turned to the fish. Minion was now inadvertently playing Megamind's _happy song_. He tried to give subtle, but desperate signals to cut the music. Minion frantically fumbled with the buttons and switched between AC/DC and Minnie Riperton before settling with smashing the front of the boom box with his robot fist to silence it.

Megamind grabbed the microphone from a Brainbot and tested it a few times to compose himself and get back on topic.

"First off...what a turn out!" Indeed there was quite a crowd gathered for Megamind's ascension to power and almost everyone held up a camera, cellphone, or microphone to record this day of infamy. In stark contrast to the Metro Man dedication ceremony earlier that day, everyone was deathly silent. Still, if negative attention was all he could generate, Megamind would revel in it. "How wild is this, huh? Hahahaha! All I did was eliminate the most powerful man in the universe. Are there any questions? Go on." Megamind saw one of the reporters raise a hand. "Yes! You in the back."

Megamind was startled when Roxanne Ritchi stepped forward. She looked exactly the same the as the last time he had seen her, when he had rather awkwardly dropped her off at her apartment. Her hair was still messy and she wore the same red dress. The expression on her face was one of pure loathing.

"I'm sure we'd all like to know what you plan to do with us and this city!" she exclaimed.

Megamind had not been ready for her question either, although it was a good one. _What was he going to do now?_

"Good, I'm glad you asked that question." Megamind did some quick improv. "Imagine the most horrible, terrifying, evil thing you can possibly think of...and multiply it...by _six_!"

Several people in the crowd exchanged confused glances. Megamind continued.

"In the meantime, I want you to carry on with the dreary, _normal_ things you _normal_ people do. Let's just have fun with this, come on. Annnnnnnd I will get back to you!" Megamind shrouded himself with his cloak and scampered backwards, inside City Hall. Minon lumbered after him on his robot gorilla legs.

"Now, slam the door really hard," Megamind whispered between muffled laughter. Minion slammed City Hall's front door, but the effect was not as stunning as Megamind had hoped. Minion's outline was still visible behind the transparent door.

"They, they can still see you." A pause. Now your elbow's still in..." Megamind giggled.

Everyone in the crowd looked anxiously at one another. They were frightened; they were confused. No one could predict what tomorrow would bring, but with someone as horrible...as _evil _as Megamind in charge, one thing was certain; it would be nothing good.

* * *

Inside City Hall the door to the mayor's office blasted open and Minion strode inside carrying Megamind.

"There he is, mister evil overlord!" Minion sang.

Megamind lowered himself out of Minion's robot arms and sighed. "Ahhh, Minion did you ever think this day would come?"

"No way. Not at all sir. Never, never in a million…" Megamind glared at him and Minion immediately backtracked. "I mean, yes I did!"

Megamind turned and walked towards the center of the office, gathering in the sights of the spacious, light filled room. He craned his neck to look up at the illuminated dome overhead. He had never seen so much light since his last day in school.

"Look at the intricate molding," he marveled.

"I'm looking! I'm looking!"

"And what's this?" Megamind laid eyes on the enormous glass window behind the mayor's desk. He was immediately captivated and jumped on the desk to get a full view of it. "It's like one of the monitors in the lair, except it only carries one station."

"Oh, that sir is called a window. All the kids are looking out of them."

"_Window." _Megamind moved closer, pressing his hands on the glass. The window's surface was so pristine he felt like he could step right through it.

"Ahhhhhh.I've never had a view before." He marveled at the glow of the city against the night sky and the many brilliant lights that the vast window allowed him to see. Metro City's tallest buildings reflected in the pool between City Hall and the Metro Man Museum. It was a very breath taking sight from the point of view of a man who usually looked at nothing but dark walls or bars.

"Metrocity Minion," Megamind said, breathless. "It's all mine. If my parents could see me now..." He gazed wistfully up at the sky through the window.

"Sir, I'm sure they're smiling down from evil heaven."

_Yes, _Megamind thought. _They must be very proud now that I have fulfilled my destiny._

He grinned, settling into the desk chair and relishing in the thoughts of his future exploits, the seemingly endless possibilities for him. His excitement overflowed and he spun around in the chair. "And now that Mr. Goody Shoes is out of the way, I can have everything I want and there's _no one_ to stop me! Ahahahahaha!"

* * *

The sun was just appearing over the horizon when some late twentieth century rock music blared against what would have been a quiet, Saturday morning. Roxanne Ritchi, half awake, first checked her alarm clock, but that was not the culprit for the disturbance. Then, with a horrible realization, she shot out of bed and ran into the living room of her loft, just in time to see one of Megamind's Brainbots drift past her window, holding a speaker in its' mechanical arms.

_It wasn't just a nightmare _she thought as she looked at the city skyline. At that moment the reality of the situation sunk in again. Metro Man was _gone_ and they were all at Megamind's mercy. What did he have in store for them? Certainly nothing good, but his speech and actions at City Hall had not given them any clues.

Roxanne walked back to her couch and sat down, almost on top of the dress she had worn the day previously, left draped over the cushion. She felt just as confused as everyone. For years she had grown numb to Megamind's antics to the point where she hardly took him very seriously at all. Sure he caused damage and inconvenienced everyone pretty regularly-it was impossible for her to guarantee any sort of appointment-but when Metro Man was around everything turned out alright and the damage was repaired. In fact, most of the city reveled in the entertainment and tourism had skyrocketed since the duo began their feud twenty years ago. However, after yesterday Roxanne had new fears and concerns. Without Metro Man, suddenly Megamind posed an actual threat that Metro City had never truly realized. It was almost surreal.

She sighed and headed to the kitchen for some breakfast. It would do no good to image what was going to happen; she could only prepare herself against what she knew. She decided to forgo her usual 15 minutes on the exercise bike and checked her cellphone. No one from the office had called her, but she knew there was no way the network would postpone or cancel the news. She would go to work. Last night she drove a news van to her apartment, so she needed to pick up Hal on the way in.

Roxanne's drive to Hal's apartment led her past the Metro City Museum for Art and Learning, a building that exhibited several modern and historic works of art and culture for the whole community. The museum was free and open to the public and Roxanne had many fond memories of the place, starting from when she was a little girl. So when she drove past and saw Megamind and Minion coming out the front doors with shopping carts filled with paintings a look a horror appeared on her face and she slammed on the brakes. She jumped out of the van and stormed up towards them.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"Stealing the museum artwork," Minion stated, a matter-of-factly.

Megamind gave a smug smile when he saw Roxanne. He was pleasantly surprised to see her. "I think they'll make some fine decorations for the new lair. You normal people really have no sense of style, locking up all these decorations in one place for everyone to see." Megamind handed Salvador Dali's _The Persistence of Memory_ to a Brainbot who flew off.

"Those paintings are pieces of heritage, the works of wonderful people! They belong to everyone!"

"And now they belong to me!" Megamind said ecstatically.

Roxanne tried reasoning with him. "Megamind, you don't have to do this. You don't have to take over the city! Think of all the people you're hurting."

Megamind looked stunned that she was trying to talk sense into him. "Honestly, Miss Ritchi, you're a teensy bit smarter than the normal mindless drone. What part of Evil Overlord, Genius Villain, Ruler of Metrocity don't you understand? I defeated your hero and that makes me your leader! Now shake, quiver in fear in my presence! **Bow **before me!"

Roxanne stood her ground and glared back. Megamind gestured for her to respond, but she did not say a word. The silence eventually became awkward and, flustered, Megamind turned back to his exploits.

Roxanne's eyes widened when Megamind turned and pulled out van Gogh's _The Starry Night_. She reached forward and tried to grab it from him starting off a tug of war.

"Let go you insufferable woman!"

"This painting belongs in the museum!"

"Your Evil Overlord commands you to let go!"

Roxanne stepped down hard on Megamind's foot. He yelped and let go of the painting.

"Minion!" Megamind yelled indignantly at the fish who, up to this point, had been standing off to the side.

"Oh...right sir!" Minion extended one of his arms and casually yanked the painting from her arms. A Brainbot flew by and took it from him, flying off in the direction of the former City Hall.

Roxanne's face darkened. She could not believe that she had tried reasoning with Megamind, a self-confessed irredeemable villain. She turned on her heel and walked back to the van, pulling out her cellphone.

"Oh no, are you calling the police?" Megamind sarcastically called after her. "I hope they don't come and arrest me!" He let loose his evil, mocking chuckle.

She stopped suddenly, and turned to march back to him. He stepped protectively in front of ill-gotten gains and drew himself up to his full height, ready to unleash the full power of his evil wit upon her.

He was not expecting her to haul off and slap him.

"You're a monster," she told him in a soft, deadly whisper. She spent one heavy moment staring into his shocked green eyes, then returned to her van.

He turned to Minion, who had watched the entire scene with a shocked look on his fishy face. "She hit me Minion. She's never hit me like that before." He stared after her as the news van traveled down the street until it turned a corner. His face fell a bit after she vanished and he heard no sirens approaching, only silence. For a split second, as he pressed his hand to his cheek, he wished she had tried a little harder to resist him.

* * *

All Roxanne received on her cellphone when she called the police department was a busy signal. The more she thought about this the more she realized, sadly, that it made no difference whether or not she could reach the police. Just the fact that Megamind could walk up to the museum in broad daylight, completely unopposed, meant that the police were not even going to try to stop him.

She drove the rest of the way in silence.

Hal lived in a dingy, brick apartment building east of downtown that had the misfortune of three freeway lanes intersecting overhead. That, and with a gas station out front, Roxanne hoped that Hal's apartment had good insulation.

After a few moments of waiting Roxanne sighed and picked up her cellphone. Usually Hal was out within at least five minutes after she arrived and excited to see her, but not today.

By the sounds of things crashing and some dull thumps Hal had just woken up. "Oh, Roxanne! Uh hi! I, I wasn't expecting you so early, but, but you're always welcome to come over. Just give me a sec...I'll be right down I just have to… Hey, we can go out to breakfast together! There's this place..."

"Hal, we have work today," she stated.

"Oh, oh...are you sure? Because, well I was thinking, I mean...not that you forgot or anything...but since, well, Megamind took over the city and all, the, uh news room might be closed. And, I mean Metro Man just _died_! Oh, sorry I didn't mean to say it like that, I... Come on, I'll take you out to this nice place down the street, they have awesome chili dogs, we can talk, if you want I can give you a shoulder to cry on..."

"Thanks for the offer Hal," she said with kindness, "but I'm pretty sure the people of Metro City want to hear the news today, so come on down."

A few moments later Hal jumped into the van. He was wearing his usual tan cargo vest and one of his ridiculous geeky t-shirts. Today's was black and had white print that said 'One More Level'. For someone living in Metro City the day after the city hero died, he had a pretty big smile on his face.

_ Even Megamind looked more upset than this, _she thought. Then she forced that thought away. Today she was not going to think about Megamind anymore than absolutely necessary.

* * *

The elevator door at the Channel 8 News building opened and Roxanne stepped out, followed by Hal. The news room was in the same flurry of activity exhibited during the showdowns between Metro Man and Megamind, when Roxanne was there to see it. However, today the atmosphere was very somber and tense. A few people spotted her as she made her way to her desk and looked taken aback. Several of them approached her.

"Roxanne! I'm _so so so_ sorry."

"You don't have to be here right now. Frank will understand."

"Thanks, really, I appreciate this, but..."

At the mention of his name, Frank, the network producer, emerged from his office and walked straight to Roxanne.

"Roxanne, what are you doing here? Go home. I'll give you all the paid leave you need..."

"Hey, if Roxanne's getting time off ..." Frank waved Hal away.

Roxanne finally got a word in. "Frank...I really would prefer to work today."

"Are you sure? Because after what happened yesterday...I mean everyone saw it, but you were right there. And Metro Man...I mean you two were very close. I can't imagine what you must be feeling..."

"Frank, I was shocked, like everyone else, but really...I'm more than ready to come back to work. And Metro Man...well we weren't..." She trailed off.

"You don't need to say anything else Roxanne, I'll let you decide. However, just so you know, I can also call the office counselor at any time, I'm sure she could come in right away...and if you ever..."

"Thanks Frank, I'll let you know if I need anything." Roxanne walked over to her own desk and work station. On the largest television screen in the news room she saw one of her colleagues live, reporting from the studio.

"...the chief of police is strongly encouraging people to stay indoors, unless you have an emergency or a crucial errand and to **not** incite Megamind. At this time we are reporting that Megamind is currently painting the dome of City Hall, so we would recommend staying away from the plaza and surrounding area. We also have reports that Megamind was spotted at the Metro City Museum for Art and Learning earlier this morning and we have confirmation that the museum is closed at this time. However, we are happy to report, as confirmed by the curator for the Metro Man Museum, that all exhibitions in the Metro Man Museum remains open to the public..."

Roxanne turned from the monitor. All this bad news made her sick to her stomach and she and everyone else was going to have to report on it far into the foreseeable future. She would rather do stories on bake sales and science fairs than give Megamnd the attention he obviously craved, but the public needed to know.

* * *

The bank was naturally next on Megamind's list of rampancy. That afternoon he and Minion burst through the front doors of the massive downtown bank and made a beeline for the teller windows. No one was there to stop them, in fact not many people were there at all. Barely half of the staff showed up for work, the security officer was long gone, and the only other person was an elderly man making a withdrawal.

"Your evil overlord is here Metrocity, to make one incredible, colossal, like you have **never** seen before and will **never** see again...**withdrawl**!"

Megamind laughed ecstatically, but cut his laugh short when he noticed his rather small audience. He looked around for a second, looking dejected before composing himself.

The tellers were already one step ahead of him. Some of them were already heading towards the vault and the others opened the way to allow Megamind behind the counter. He followed their lead with barely controllable giddiness, followed by an equally excited Minion, empty money bags in their hands. Megamind threw a few at the scared faces in the bank.

"Let's all lighten up here already! This is your one chance to see more money than you have ever seen before in your dull, boring, everyday lives. This is your chance to see your incredibly handsome and genius new Evil Overlord in action, there to take it all! Isn't this spectacular?"

No one particularly looked like they shared Megamind feelings, even when they came to the vaults, but Megamind and Minion's faces widened in excitement at the sight of stack after stack of green bills and gold bars. They immediately dove into the treasure trove.

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeee! Hahahaha!" Minon slid down a small pile of money. Megamind was up to his shoulders in one hundred dollar bills and discovering that it was harder than it looked to swim through money. He and Minion had never been wanting for cash, they always managed to steal enough to live comfortably at the evil lair and make chillingly horrifying inventions for their next diabolically evil plot, but he vaguely dreamed of doing such things after taking over Metrocity-when he was not consumed with devising the next plan to destroy Metro Man, of course.

"Just look at it all Minion. I'm rich! I can buy anything I want. All the gadgets to build all the possible terror inducing inventions! Boxes and boxes of donuts! Metrocity Tower! That famous _amoozement_ park in California!"

"Why buy it at all sir? You can take it," Minion chimed in.

Megamind faltered at Minion's obvious point. "You...you're right." Looking over the seemingly endless amounts of money he felt confused. Then something hard hit him on the side of the face.

"Hey!" He whirled around and saw Minion laughing and the robot fish threw another stack of bills at him.

Megamind laughed and started throwing money back. Their playful fight eventually led them to the stairs and street outside the bank. They had snowball and pillow fights with money, scattering dollar bills everywhere with no care in the world. After hours of wild fun with the city's money they lay down in a paper strewn street, exhausted.

Meanwhile the bank tellers and accountants went home early, many of them openly sobbing. Everyone at some point that day thought _Why was Metro Man taken from us? We're __**doomed**__ without him_.

* * *

That afternoon Roxanne attended the memorial ceremony for Metro Man down by the city waterfront. The occasion was kept extremely low key in order to avoid attracting Megamind's attention, so the crowd was very small for such an important event. At her left the city mayor blew his nose into a handkerchief and at her right one of her coworkers brushed the hair out of her teary eyes. The elegies were brief, but moving. They spoke of a young, orphaned child sent to this world to find a new home and protect us all. They spoke of his destiny realized at a young age and the great responsibility he undertook to protect Metro City from all evil. His accomplishments had been godlike, but he was also human in many ways. Despite his sorrow when his adopted parents passed away, he has still acted like a father to the city.

A boat cast off with the mayor, police chief and city council onboard. Roxanne was offered a place on the boat and even asked if she would release Metro Man's ashes, but she refused. The whole affair was very moving, but she still felt uncomfortably like she was playing a part. She had known Metro Man on a level no one ever had and yet she still felt like she had barely known him as a person. Moreover, any involvement by her would have perpetuated a falsehood that Metro City no longer needed to believe, the idea that she and Metro Man were a couple deeply in love. She could not lie today, of all days.

Once the boat was a few hundred yards from shore the police chief stood on the prow and released Metro Man's ashes into the gentle wind blowing towards the city he had protected for so many years. After a few more moments of silence the boat returned to the dock. Quickly and silently the crowd dispersed to the shelter of their homes.

Roxanne rode the monorail back to her apartment and she saw the Metro Man Museum standing firm and aglow in the late afternoon sun. Megamind had left it untouched. She got off at the next stop and walked over to the Museum, every so often glancing toward City Hall on the other end of the plaza. A swarm of Brainbots hovered around the building and the dome was already half painted vivid blue. Even from a distance one could hear Megamind's laugh echo in the empty plaza. Roxanne turned away from the sight with a look off disgust and climbed the stairs to the Metro Man Museum.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! I appreciate it when others give me criticism I need to hear and I feel fulfillment when others tell me I have done well. A special thanks to my beta reader Your_Worshipfulness, who helped me with this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Megamind belongs to DreamWorks SKG and I will not make any money from this fanfiction.

Author's Note: The updates will keep coming, so continue reading and reviewing. Thanks again to my beta reader! She did a great job fixing the language and grammar and especially improving the snappy dialogue for me. I hope that you enjoy this next chapter that fills in the gaps in the movie and also presents my version of the backstory of some of the characters.

* * *

Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. The citizens of Metro City lost count of the number of times that Megamind's blaring rock music greeted them every day. Today their evil overlord had chosen to give an afternoon fanfare with what sounded like Meatloaf's _Bat Out of Hell_.

After the music ceased Megamind's voice called out.

"Good morning, pathetic inmates of Metrocity. I am interrupting your dreary morning routine to give you some cordial advice. Interstate 5 is off limits today...unless you want to watch your fabulously handsome Evil Overlord flatten the competition at speed racing...or if you want join in. Oh, if the fire department is looking for their fire trucks they can find them at 2130 Broadway Street. Some of them may still be embedded in the side of the building... Now, it's 78 degrees and a beautiful day outside for you enslaved citizens, so come out and have some fun!"

Roxanne closed the door to her balcony, giving up on tempting a cool breeze inside. She gazed over the grey city skyline with a glum look on her face before turning back to her work.

Today was her day off, but ever since Metro Man's defeat she had absorbed herself in the next news story. There was no longer any fun in going outdoors or any way to enjoy a night out; the city was practically a ghost town. Sunk in a perpetual gloom, the inhabitants hid in their homes most of the day, emerging only when it was absolutely necessary-and sometimes not even then. The diverse and lively nightlife Metro City had offered vanished the day Metro Man died. These days, no one felt much like celebrating.

Hanging from her loft ceiling was a small diorama. Very often when she worked on news stories, she displayed and organized her thoughts on this hanging map. This time many of the hanging cards had words like 'sacrifice', 'determination', 'bravery', 'strength', 'empathy', etc. It was all part of her story in the works on Metro Man, a reminder to the city of what they had lost and what they needed to find in themselves. Lately, journalism had lost its' heart, the thing that had drawn Roxanne to the career at a young age. The daily news had turned into an endless cycle of bad news and doomsday predictions. Roxanne was hoping to capture a more positive tone for her next story, although any mention of Metro Man was bound to evoke some tears.

Roxanne paced back and forth a few moments, often re-examining the points and concepts hovering in front of her face. Then she walked over to the closet and slipped on a sweater. She needed some inspiration.

As she exited her apartment she greeted the doorman, Carlos, still on vigilant duty just inside the entrance. They always shared a nice conversation and now he often inquired into her safety.

"You're not going out today are you Roxanne? Didn't you hear Megamind's announcement?"

"It's all right Carlos. I'm just going to the Metro Man Museum for a bit. I'll be back in about an hour."

As Roxanne walked to the monorail station she had to watch her step, otherwise she was liable to trip on the garbage that had piled up in the streets. The first day Roxanne rode her bike since Metro Man's death she passed through the Hill Top Park, now littered with garbage from Megamind's shenanigans. Since then she had switched to cycling indoors; the recent state of the city was just too depressing.

Roxanne was the only one in the monorail car she entered. The city was eerie in its' emptiness and despite summer being only a few weeks away the sky seemed to always have grey clouds. Megamind had left his mark everywhere, usually with blue graffiti, on the street signs, billboards, and statues. Particularly infuriating, he placed posters of himself around the city with the words "No You Can't" a play on the campaign slogan of the late 44th president of the United States.

In addition, crime had soared and the remaining police force was stretched thin containing robberies and assaults caused by law breaking citizens, all the while doing nothing to oppose Megamind. All over the city the economy was crashing, businesses were closing, and school days were sporadic. While most people tried to live as normally as possible a few people had left the city entirely, including some of Roxanne's friends.

Roxanne looked up when she had arrived at her destination, the Metro Man Museum. This was not the first time she had come here for some solace and certainly would not be the last for her. She had even obtained the phone number of the museum archivist just in case she wanted to come in after hours, much to his annoyance she recalled. Bernie was it...?

As Roxanne climbed the stairs to the entrance she noticed that she was not alone, in fact a fair number of people were gathered at the museum. It was understandable; right now everyone seemed to be finding refuge in nostalgia.

Roxanne turned into a series of hallways containing an exhibit called "The Labors of Heroism". Along the walls hung several front pages from newspapers and magazines that had run Metro Man centric articles over the years. There had been so many battles between the hero and the villain and so many daring rescues that she was not sure that even an entire museum could display them all. All of the pictures featured Metro Man, often with Megamind, and occasionally she or some other city official was present. One of the front pages from the Metro Monitor caught her eye. The headline read "Metro Man Thwarts Megamind Once Again, Rescues Young Reporter". The picture below the headline featured a younger Metro Man with his identical pearly white grin. One of his arms was wrapped protectively around the shoulders of a woman in her late teens. She was looking up at Metro Man and holding out a microphone. She looked young and very professional except for her hair. Seen out of context she would have looked like she just emerged from a wind tunnel.

Roxanne smiled fondly; the first time in several days.

* * *

She had been only eighteen at the time, but two years earlier she had co-founded Metro City's first televised high school news network to great success and as a result she and the three other high school co-founders received internships at the Channel 8 news network and a full scholarship to a state school. Channel 8 had already introduced the four of them to the studio and had been going over general procedures in the news room for the past week. Today was their first day out in the field and they would be trailing Channel 8's junior reporter Frank as he did a live report at the annual Metro City Spring Festival.

"Now I know all four of you have already proven yourself capable reporters, so I won't go over anything you're already familiar with. However, here at Channel 8 we assign each reporter their own cameraman or woman. Once you start doing regular reports from site that cameraperson will be with you regularly. Now, if there are good reasons, we can switch you and your cameraperson, however you will be assigned someone who is perfectly capable so I don't want you just switching without a good reason."

The events of the day had started successfully and the parade was in full swing. Everyone was especially excited because Metro Man, the city's superhero, would be making a flyby over the crowds.

Frank moved the four of them to a nearby street corner. "Here is a perfect spot to give a report. Set yourself at an angle so the viewers can get a good look down the street and see how far the crowds stretch, as well as..."

"Look!" someone shouted and pointed vaguely up.

Roxanne looked in that direction and a white blur went by. The blur circled around, slowed down, and she saw Metro Man swoop low over the crowd again, his arms stretched out in the classic pose. Roxanne strained to get a better view behind all the cheering people and she caught a flash of Metro Man winking at the crowd, giving a grin that threaten to blind anyone looking directly at it. If only she had realized that soon she would find these affairs common place, but Roxanne had been a teenager who had never seen the young Metro Man up close, in person.

She was surprised to see Metro Man land on the podium on the main float next to the mayor. Metro Man always liked to add a bit of flourish when he made an appearance, but he usually never stuck around long. He was usually available to comment, but full-length interviews with the hero were rare.

Metro Man waved at the excited crowd from the parade float for several moments before people finally calmed down and the mayor took this opportunity to speak.

"As you all know, five years ago, when evil threatened to consume our great city and it's people a hero rose up among us. He was a stranger from a distant world, but he has become one of us! He has sworn to uphold justice and preserve our freedom. We are truly honored by his sacrifice...and so it is my great pleasure to formally announce from this day forward this date will be known as **Metro Man ****Day**!"

The crowd's response was nothing short of thunderous; Roxanne could feel their excitement thrumming in the soles of her feet.

Metro Man waved at the crowd and accepted the microphone from the mayor. "Thank you, thank you, Mr. Mayor, everyone. I am very humbled by your generosity, but it really, there is no greater fulfillment than protecting you, the powerless people of Metro City. I'd just like to say that every day..."

Suddenly there was a loud boom like thunder and several large black zeppelins descended upon the festivities and parade. Thick, ominous smoke shrouded the blue sky and swarms of human sized, metal robots swarmed above. Screens appeared on the zeppelins displaying a very familiar oversized blue head and everyone heard Megamind's most sinister evil laugh echo through the streets.

"Muwhahahahaha! I'm so glad you could leave me an opening at your overindulged media fest for your very own supervillain, Metrocity! However, I must say I'm very, _very_ disappointed that you chose someone far, far inferior to my grandiose intelligence to take my place in my short absence."

The crowd erupted in boos. Roxanne could see Megamind standing on top of the balloon closest to her dressed in his usual black and blue menacing garb. Metro Man glared and flew up level to him.

"It's just like you Megamind to come uninvited and spoil a perfectly good day."

"Oh, I'm sure my invitation was just lost somewhere in seeyahberspace."

"Your failure to comprehend good can only be compounded by your failure to observe social norms!"

Megamind gave an over exaggerated yawn. "Speaking of failing to comprehend, have you managed to find another brain cell to rub against the one you were born with yet?"

"The people of this city and I are far too devoted to justice for childish antics!"

"All the while you dress up in a cape and tassels and these people embarrass themselves with cardboard cutouts on wheels!"

"The people of this city ..."

"Oh, enough about you already Metro Man! I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm here, tiny peasants of Metrocity. Well, see all these balloons? They happen to all contain a paralyzing gas that will render anyone who breaths it immobile. You'll all be helpless as I take over this city and then, the world. Muwhahahahahaha!"

"You'll never be able to paralyze justice Megamind! It only needs but a heart that believes in it-not legs or arms."

"Even the strongest heart can be stopped by the right combination of drugs, Metro-ham."

"Well I say no to drugs!"

"But some drugs can cure disease-the same way evil cures the insipidity of good."

"This city has already been vaccinated against evil!"

"Given enough time, the bacteria of evil can mutate to overcome any vaccine of good!"

"Think of me as the antibacterial spray of justice!"

Megamind made a face. "Oh you should just listen to yourself sometimes! _Unfortunately_ it's time to say goodbye Metro Man...to you, to your nauseating speeches, and to...**METROCITY**!" And with that Megamind drew out a small gun and fired at Metro Man.

Roxanne wondered if Megamind was a absentminded as he was rude; everyone knew that Metro Man was invulnerable...bullets just bounced right off of him; they didn't even hurt his super-suit. However, bullets did not come out of Megamind's gun; instead a puff of rosy pink gas enveloped Metro Man. Before the gas totally obscured him Roxanne saw Metro Man convulse. The entire crowd gasped.

"Ha ha Metrocity! See your hero doubled over in fear!"

Slowly the gas began to dissipate and eventually they could see Metro Man again, but he shortly straightened out and gave a long breath out. Then he sighed and smiled at Megamind who looked flabbergasted.

"How could you possible have survived my ingenious plan? By all my calculations, you should be paralyzed and falling to your death!"

"For all you intelligence, evil just cannot comprehend the power of good. My very own cells are imbued with the armor of justice!" Metro Man lunged at Megamind.

Megamind swerved and the entire balloon he rode slammed into the building next to Frank and the young reporters. They could all hear a crumbling sound and people were screaming and running in panic. Roxanne turned to run, but she stumbled over some of the rubble that had already fallen. She tried to lurch to her feet, determined not to look up at the building which was surely falling towards her.

Suddenly she felt swept off her feet and for a moment she had the strange sensation of being cradled by two steel beams. Metro Man.

"Don't worry miss, I've got you," he said as he set her down on the other side of the street. Then he turned back to Megamind who was scowling down at them.

"Too late Metro Man! You've fallen for the oldest trick in the book. You may have rescued the fair maiden, but now your city is doooomed!" He pressed a button.

All of the zeppelins surrounding the city exploded and pink gas billowed out. However, Metro Man merely set his jaw and started to fly about. At first Roxanne could not understand what he was doing and Megamind looked bewildered as well. Then she realized that the gas was not descending and that Metro Man was flying faster and faster until he was barely a blur against the sky. The pink gas turned into a pink tornado that Metro Man guided until it hovered over the bay and harmlessly dissipated in the water. Roxanne smiled and the remaining crowd began to cheer. Once again Metro Man had saved the day.

"I think you're late for a court date, Megamind" Metro Man said as he flew back and seized Megamind by his over-large collar.

"**No,** Metro Man I'm not done yet! I've got you right where I want you! Brawnbots attack!"

No less than a dozen of Megamind's clunky man sized bots flew towards and attacked Metro Man, just enough to knock Megamind free. Megamind then pressed a button and detached the top platform of the balloon, turning it into a hovercraft with long mechanical arms. The next thing Roxanne knew the hovercraft was soaring above her, Metro Man was freeing himself from the robots, and Megamind looked at her, his eyes widened, and a devious look crossed his face.

Then a dark blur appeared in front of her and something hard and cold was yanking her off her feet. The next thing she realized a robotic arm was holding her by the legs high above the ground next to Megamind's face. Looking back on the event Roxanne thought she'd been embarrassingly silly, but it was perhaps an understandable reaction to meeting a super villain for the first time. Taking one look at the ground hundreds of feet below and hearing Megamind's sinister laughter, she did the only sensible thing she could. She screamed.

"Muwhahahaha!" Megamind laughed and placed his gas gun level with her face. "I know you can't bear to see even _one_ of your miserable groupies suffer a fate worse than death Metro Man so I'll make you a deal. I will spare her life if you agree to leave Metrocity...forever."

Metro Man was now hovering in front of them, an indignant look on his face. "You fiend! Leave her out of this!"

Roxanne shuddered as she glanced at the ground below. "Metro Man please, help me!"

Megamind was relishing in her distress so obviously that his smirk threatened to burst into a full-blown smile. "Yes, Metro Man. Hear her pleas. Hear her beg for her life You have the power to save her. Just leave. Ohhhhhohoho, the choice must be agonizing!"

Suddenly Roxanne felt a vibration in her legs and heard a metallic groan above her. Megamind must have heard the sound too because he turned suddenly towards her and his face fell.

"Uh oh."

There was a load crack and he heart jumped into her mouth. She was plummeting down to the ground. The wind was racing through her hair and she only had time for a short scream before her throat closed off in intense fear. The pavement was getting closer and closer faster and faster. Then she heard something and looked up. Metro Man was disentangling her legs from the remains of the robot's arm and flinging them away. Then he leaned over and scooped her up in his arms with only a few feet to spare. Roxanne nearly collapsed in relief in his tightly held arms.

She glanced below and saw Megamind struggling in the wreckage of his robot hovercraft in the street, cursing and surrounded by police.

Roxanne took a few deep breaths and she felt a rush of euphoria as she realized that she was alive. She almost laughed.

"Well that was a bit anticlimactic," she said from Metro Man's arms. "I guess Megamind didn't figure his robot arms carrying full grown women."

"As always, luck follows the just." Metro Man flashed her a smile and Roxanne felt her heart skip a beat.

He landed lightly on the platform of the main parade float and set her gently down. The mayor was running back over from the nearby alley looking almost bubbly with excitement. Many people were emerging from hiding and starting to cheer.

"Well sorry you had to get caught up in all this, but I'm sure I put on a good show for you Miss, uh..."

"It's Roxanne Ritchi."

"Yes, well Roxanne you are safe and sound now." He turn to the cheering crowd and struck a pose. "As is the rest of Metro City."

Roxanne then saw an opportunity and she was going to take a bold step forward.

"Metro Man, I would like to thank you personally for saving my life, and since I am a reporter for the channel 8 news network I am wondering if I could do so by conducting an interview with our hero...my hero."

The people close by fell silent and Roxanne waited for his response with bated breath. Metro Man turned to her and smiled. "I would be happy to Roxie."

Before she knew it the mayor was handing her his silver microphone, the crowd was giving a great cheer, and they were about to head off and start their interview. But first Metro Man wrapped one of his muscular arms around her shoulders and she saw the flash of several cameras.

* * *

Back at the interstate Megamind and Minion had just finished their thirty-seventh race. Behind them the street was crisscrossed with black skid marks.

"Oh that was a great move at the end, sir; that swerve was very stylish. Let's go again!"

Megamind gazed at the track behind him, empty and silent. They had gone on racing for hours and the last few times his heart had not been in it. Now he just sighed and slumped down in the seat of his black and blue open canopy car.

"No...we can go again some other day Minion. I'm ready to go home." He sighed again and drove the car back to the start of the makeshift track. Minion gazed in slight bewilderment at his master's sudden subdued attitude, but followed without question.

* * *

On the way back to City Hall Megamind and Minion passed through the business sector. Megamind had already left his mark on every street. Graffiti with large M's and lightning bolts covered every bare surface. Many businesses had "Megamind's store" scrawled over the main sign. Everywhere Megamind went, everywhere he looked, he had already been before. The streets were desolate and there was a hollow silence so profound that even Megamind felt uncomfortable. He turned to Minion.

"Minion...where is everyone? Are they all somewhere else in the city?

"Actually, sir, all the reports I've heard from the Brainbots and the local news suggest that social activity in Metro City has gone down by 85 percent citywide since you became Evil Overlord."

Megamind scanned the city street until he caught sight of something that looked normal. A jewelry story had its' door open.

"Ah ha!" He remarked and urged the spiderbot he rode towards the building.

The store owner was just emerging as Megamind came over.

"Oh Mr. Megamind sir...I, I mean Evil Overlord sir!" The man nearly stumbled over himself to bow down. "Please, please just come on in. Take, take what ever you want. Just please let me go, I have a family at home!" The man even opened the door for him. Megamind nearly cringed at how pathetic the scene was, even though it had not been unfamiliar to him these past weeks.

For a second Megamind felt the urge to just turn away, but that would mean he was coping out of his duty. He sighed and smashed the glass cases with complete lack of enthusiasm, grabbed jewels and stuffed them into his pockets while rolling his eyes, and dumped out the whole cash register while sighing. Minion followed suit, but with much more gusto. As they exited the store the man once again bowed and even said thank you before closing the door.

"Well that was certainly easy," Minion said.

Megamind felt like something was sinking in his chest further and further as then drew closer back to his new home.

* * *

Back in City Hall Megamind took in his now familiar surroundings. Loot gathered over the passing weeks now cluttered the halls. Paintings from the museum hung at odd angles on the walls. Every room contained gold bars, video games, arcade games, vintage records, precious stones, Hollywood props, small cars and many other items. Hundred dollar bills gathered in corners like pieces of loose paper. Megamind remembered how exciting it was to lay his hands on each item for the first time, but now each of these items seemed indistinguishable from the furniture.

"Sir would you like to play Frogger again tonight? Let's see if we can beat the top score again!" Minion gestured to the arcade game in the corner.

Megamind sighed. "Actually Minion, I think I'll turn in for the night."

"Are you sure sir? It's only eight o'clock," Minion stated. However Megamind was already heading to the bedroom.

* * *

Megamind silently brushed his teeth in front of the mirror in City Hall's bright, pristine bathroom. He stopped for a moment and simply gazed at himself in the mirror. He was wearing his blue flannel pajamas with science symbols, complete with bat slippers and a high collar, but they looked almost normal on him. His face looked rather glum, not very menacing at all. He did not look or feel much like a super-villain at all anymore, or even an evil overlord. What was happening to him?

Megamind stretched his collar up, hoping that would make him look like more of threat. Suddenly he realized that Minion was watching him in stunned silence, the fish's tooth paste missing his toothbrush and hitting the floor. Megamind lowered his hands and composed himself. Satisfied, but still confused Minion walked away. Megamind turned back to the mirror. He really wanted to go back to the evil lair or even jail, but an evil overlord was supposed to reside in the seat of power. He yearned to put his hands and mind to work and craft an object of devastating destruction, but there was no cause for that anymore. He longed to see Metro Man again, see that infuriatingly smug face that he still saw all over the city and just outside his window, but in the flesh, but...Metro Man was gone...

Megamind sighed and turned to walk to bed. Maybe this was just a phase he was going through. Maybe once he got used to being a winner, this feeling of emptiness would slip away as quickly as it had come. He hoped so anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Megamind belongs to DreamWorks SKG and I will not make any money from this fanfiction.

* * *

In the last few days since Megamind had torn down the lanes of Interstate 5, things had been rather quiet in regards to the overlord and master of all evil. Megamind had ceased running rampant through the streets and the only mayhem was caused by ordinary citizen-criminals. Even his morning fanfare had stopped. Far from inducing any relief, a cloud of dark foreboding had now descended over Metro City. The streets were still empty and deathly silent. No one imaged things were changing for the better, this could only be the quiet before the storm. Their deepest fears produced visions of famine, gang wars, slavery, or worse. But no one could fully conceive of what was really going on in the villain's head.

That afternoon Megamind was in City Hall's dimly lit office, slumped over the desk, surrounded by his ill-gotten treasure, but he only had eyes for one item-the plastic drinking bird on his desk. Megamind dull gaze was fixed on the bird as it swung down, touched the water, then up and then down again, over and over and over.

"I know. I know," he sighed vacantly. "Always thirsty...never satisfied. I understand you little well dressed bird. Purposeless...emptiness. It's a vacuum, isn't it? It's...What's your vacuum like?" He sat up, almost expecting the inanimate object to provide the answer to his meaning in life.

**Slam!**

"_Going off the rails on a crazy train, S_ir_!_" Minion burst through the door, singing and strumming a life-sized statue like a makeshift guitar. Megamind was not amused.

"Hey hey hey hey!" he exclaimed. Minion dropped the statue immediately.

"Not now Minion!" Megamind raised his arms in exasperation and paused to wipe off the hundred dollar bills clinging to his gloves. "I'm in a heated, existential discussion with this dead-eyed plastic desk toy!" He sighed and hung his head.

"Is...is something wrong sir?" Minion finally had to ask. Megamind had been listless for days.

"Just...think about it," Megamind said. "We have it all. Yet, we have nothing. It's just too easy now..."

"I'm sorry, you've lost me sir."

Megamind turned towards the window that gave the wide view of Metro City he had seen for several weeks. In the foreground was the Metro Man Museum overcast in grey. He hung his head.

"I mean, we did it, right?"

"Uh, well, _you_ did it sir. Yes, you've made that perfectly clear," Minion stated, but he bore no grudge. Unlike Megamind, he was content with his role at his master's side.

"Then why do I feel so...meloncholly?"

"Melon...cholly?" Minion was still baffled.

"Unhappy." At this Minion balked. He had never heard his master sound so...defeated. Sad, yes, angry, sure, even despondent...but never quite the same level of despair that was currently in evidence. He was baffled as to how to deal with it.

"Oh, uh, well, uh... What if tomorrow, we could go kidnap Roxanne Ritchi? That always seems to lift your spirits!"

Megamind perked up. Ah yes, finally a worthy opponent! They could capture her right in front of everyone, then take her back to the evil lair like old times. They would exchange their witty banter; he would try to intimidate her and she would respond with snide remarks, and then...then...that would be the end of it.

Megamind sighed. "Good idea Minion. But without him, what's the point?" He continued to gaze out the large window towards the colossal statue of Metro Man across the plaza.

"Him...sir?"

"Nothing," he replied, sighing. No one understood, not even Minion.

"Okay, um...all right. We'll just...that's, uh, something to consider...and...Well, I think I'll just power down for awhile then." Minion left and Megamind continued to look out the window. He appreciated Minion trying to help him feel better, but only one person could do that now, and he was...unavailable.

Outside, the Metro Man Museum began to cast a long shadow.

* * *

Megamind got ready for bed early once again, but no matter how he tossed and turned, sleep eluded him. Finally he reached for the remote and headed out to the office. Propping one of the flat screen television sets on his desk, he flipped through the channels casually. He paused when he saw Roxanne Ritchi, live, giving her report.

"He was always there for us. Dependable. Perhaps we took him for granted. You know, maybe we never really know how good we have it until it's gone." She paused, holding in her emotions before continuing. "We miss you Metro Man. I miss you. And I have just one question for Megamind..." Megamind looked directly at the screen and he felt like Roxanne was right in front of him, her hurt eyes burning into him.

"Are you happy now?" Her words seemed to echo in his head and he turned away, knowing the answer, but afraid to say it out loud. Distantly he heard her end her broadcast. "This is Roxanne Ritchi reporting from a city without a hero. Coming up next, 'are you ready to be a slave army?' what you need to know."

Megamind gazed out at the Metro Man Museum and slowly came to a conscious realization. He had made a horrible mistake. He had killed a person for the first time in his life, and it had been the one person who had made his entire life have meaning. No wonder he had never really had an intense hatred of Metro Man; he needed him as much as the rest of the city did. Metro Man's death was his fault and now he was living the consequences. He felt racked up with guilt that threatened to spill over. Oh the irony! Maybe there was such a thing as karma.

Then an idea began to form in his head. He knocked clutter on the desk out of the way as he reached for the telephone to make a call to any flower shop still open in Metro City. If not, he could always make one open up.

* * *

Out at the steps of the Metro Man Museum Roxanne finished the last words of her report and gave Hal the signal for the cut off. She finally let her face falter.

"Annnnnd...wrap that up and give it to a child on Christmas, 'cause we're done!" In contrast, Hal looked buoyant now that their report was done, but most of all because he was out late with Roxanne.

"Okay. See you tomorrow Hal." Roxanne set a new look of determination on her face and turned to go up the stairs.

"Wait." Hal called out and followed her. "Roxie, I'm having a party at my house. It's gonna be, like, off the hook or whatever. You should come over. I got a deejay, rented a bouncy house, made a gallon of dip. It's gonna be sick." Hal was talking fast and sounded very excited.

"Oh...I don't know Hal. I don't really feel like being around a bunch of people."

"No,no, no that's the best part! It'll just be like you and me!"

Roxanne faltered, he mouth slightly open. How was she going to respond to that?

"Wow," she finally stated. "That um...that's certainly...very tempting, but..."

"I did hire a wedding photographer. That's just in case we were like, something crazy happened and we wanted a picture of it. Like, maybe we should have this for, like, ever. Like a memory, you know?"

"Umm, I'm gonna pass." Roxanne turned to continue heading up the stairs. "I have some...work here that I need to do, anyway." Hal looked glum and slowly started walking down the stairs.

"Cool. So Thursday? Soft Thursday?"

"Good night Hal." Roxanne's voice was showing signs of loosing its' patience.

"That's a soft yes on Thursday." Hal pointed at her and finally retreated to the bottom of the stairs.

He ducked behind the news van and Roxanne could hear him curse and bang against the side of the vehicle. When he drove off he slammed into a mailbox on his way out.

Roxanne turned away from the scene looking disturbed. Usually she was able to gently refuse Hal's advances and still have a good time around him. He could be a loveable guy and was a good cameraman, but every since Metro Man's death Hal's infatuation with her had become much more forward and a lot more disturbing.

She brushed those thoughts aside and entered the Metro Man Museum. This time she headed for the elevator and set the floor for the observation level. Usually there would be people around, but it was already dark and these days no one wanted to be out late, even at the Metro Man Museum. Roxanne was positive she was alone. Or so she thought.

* * *

The view from the outdoor observation deck was breathtaking. Here people could be at eye level with the enormous, rotating statue of Metro Man. About ten stories above them, the statue's arms held aloft a giant golden dome, containing many of the museum exhibits.

For a few moments Roxanne simply gazed up at the statue's stone, smiling face. The features on the face were very detailed and lifelike. Roxanne spoke to the statue as though it embodied the spirit of the city's departed hero.

"What are we supposed to do? Without you evil is running rampant through the streets. We never really appreciated how much we needed you and we weren't ready when you left." Roxanne longed for some guidance and direction. "I can't believe how quickly everything fell apart. Now everyone is scared and you wouldn't recognize the city anymore. You were the soul of Metro City; without you it's become an empty, lifeless place. But I know there are good people out there that you've inspired and that can stand up, given the time. I just wish I knew how they could."

The statue's face gazed back at her, immobile and silent, as the rest of the night. She sighed and continued. "We need a hero and we need one soon. Someone has to stop Megamind."

"Hey we're closing soon."

Roxanne nearly jumped out of her skin; she had been so sure she was the only one in the whole building. She breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed it was only one of the museum employees, the archivist. Most of the employees had already gone home before sunset, but this man took his job very seriously. If she recalled correctly from the reports, upon the opening of the museum he had been hired for the job specifically because he was _the_ person to go to for all things known about Metro Man's main nemesis, Megamind.

"Oh, you scared me," she gasped. "Barry, right?"

"Bernard."

Bernard was slumped over a book cart and looked in every way like he belonged at the museum. He wore clothes that looked so proper they were likely tailored, but his overall look was rather bland. He wore slacks, a brown sports coat, and blue turtle neck. A pair of round glasses completed the bookish style. The only distinguishing feature was a full head of flyaway dirty blond hair. He would have looked almost normal...if not for the perpetually sour look on his face.

Roxanne began to blush with embarrassment now that the initial shock had worn off. She had been caught at a rather private, personal moment.

"Bernard, I was just... Well, I was talking to myself. You probably think I'm a little bit nuts."

"I'm not allowed to insult guests directly," he drawled.

At this, Roxanne thought it best to keep her conversation with the man short. "Thank you. Bernard, I'll just be another minute."

Bernard gave a loud sigh. "Okay." He pushed his cart and walked away.

"Thanks." Roxanne started to spend just a few more moments of silence before the statue.

"_...never have...never have..._"

Roxanne stood straight up. She swore she heard a voice just then. She thought it had been just her and now Bernard up here. Who else could possibly have business in the museum this late at night? She went into investigation mode and started to walk to the other side of the observation deck.

* * *

On the other side Megamind was pouring his heart out to the statue of Metro Man. He was leaning by the rail in his pajamas and holding out a bouquet of yellow roses.

"You know I never had the chance to say goodbye," he sobbed. "So it's good that we have this time now. You know, before I destroy the place." Megamind withdrew a detonator from the bouquet and set it for three minutes.

"Nothing personal, it just brings back too many painful memories." Megamind let the detonator and roses fall to the ground floor where Brainbots were piling up dynamite at the base of the statue. Just as Megamind turned to leave he heard a voice echo.

"Hello? Hello?" He saw of all people Roxanne Ritchi emerging from behind the statue and heading straight for him.

"Roxanne!" he gasped and he glanced down at his pajamas and bat slippers. His ears turned bright red. He could not let her see him in this state! He dashed off as fast as his slippers could allow him in the opposite direction.

Megamind looked over his shoulder and **Crash!** He knocked straight into something.

He looked up and saw the book cart and a man on the other end. Megamind began to flush with embarrassment, but the man sneered first.

"Uhhh, that's a pretty tasteless costume."

Megamind was taken aback. "Costume?" The man did not recognize him?

"Megamind's head is not that grossly exaggerated," the man stated a matter a factly.

Megamind did not have time for this. Roxanne was still coming and he seriously doubted she would be dense enough to think his appearance was a costume. But the man's presence and remarks had given him a plan. He fumbled with his holowatch and scanned the man. Then he hastily drew out his gun and switched the mode to dehydrate.

The man gave another exaggerated sigh. "Ugghh, and you even made a cheap replica of his dehydration gun..." Megamind briefly considered changing the mode to a more lethal setting before aiming at the insufferable man.

"...how wonder-" In a flash the man turned into a blue cube and his glasses and personal affects fell to the ground.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

The light and sound must have caught Roxanne's attention because Megamind heard her start to run in his direction. He ducked behind the book cart and fumbled with the blue cube.

"Hello?"

Megamind scrambled to gather up the man's items. He grabbed the glasses last and spun the dial on his watch.

"Who's there?" He heard Roxanne sounding frantic right behind him and stood up straight away, all the while the image of his hands morphing and changing in front of him as he slammed the glasses on his face.

Roxanne let out an exclamation of relief. "Ohhhhehe, whooooooooooo! It's just you, Bernard."

"Oh, yes! Yes it's just me! Bernaaaard." Megamind stammered and tried to somewhat imitate the man's drawling tone; there had been no time to record the man's voice. Meanwhile, the real Bernard was still in his hand and Megamind quickly stuffed the cube in his pajama pocket. Then he checked his watch and scampered over to the elevator.

"Well, thank you for letting me stay," Roxanne said.

Megamind, disguised and frantic hammered on the elevator door button. "Look, I wouldn't stay here for more than two minutes and thirty-seven seconds if I were you. We're having the walls and ceilings removed." The elevator door opened.

"Wow, that's sounds like quite the renovation," Roxanne remarked. "I guess I'll...um...catch a ride down with you then." Megamind was horrified to see Roxanne join him in the same elevator, but so far it seemed his disguise was working, even for Roxanne, so he relaxed a bit. As the elevator descended they both faced the glass wall of the elevator revealing the ascending statue of Metro Man. Megamind gazed out wistfully and Roxanne looked somewhat the same.

"I kept thinking he was gonna do one of his last minute escapes," Roxanne said aloud, almost as if she sensed his own thoughts and wanted to share her own.

Megamind slumped over in sadness. "Yeah. He was really good at those," he said, choking up.

"Ahhh, if only the world had a resent button," she sighed.

At this Megamind was nearly in tears. "I've looked into the reset button." For many of his past failures he had often searched for a way to go back and correct all of his mistakes, but every time he realized the harsh, scientific truth of time travel. "The science is impossible," he sobbed.

At that all his composure was lost and Megamind stumbled out of the open elevator, slumped forward, eyes glassy, and looking utterly devastated. Roxanne looked taken aback at his expression of emotion and tried to comfort him.

"Oh Bernard, I didn't know you had...feelings. Are you okay?" Roxanne placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as they walked down the hall to the escalator leading to the ground floor.

"Metro Man's gone. And now there's no one left to challenge Megamind."

"Oh, come on Bernard. As long as there is evil good will rise up against it."

"Ohhh I wish."

"I believe someone is gonna to standup to Megamind," Roxanne said with absolute resolve.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah! I mean, it's like they say. Hero's aren't born, they're made."

Just as her words sunk in a lightbulb went off in Megamind's head. It was so brilliant, why hadn't he thought of it before?

"Hero's can be made... That's it!" He turned, excited to Roxanne. "All you need are the right ingredients!"

"Yeah!" Roxanne exclaimed. She was getting excited too. "Bravery."

"Yes!" Megamind agreed.

"Strength."

"Of course!"

"Determination."

"Imperative!" Then Megamind caught a glance at a display of the source of Metro Man's power and he knew what he needed most of all.

"And a smidgen of DNA," he whispered to himself and then continued with a wide grin on his face. "Why with that...anyone can be a hero!"

"Yeah!"

"Ohhoho!" Megamind lifted Roxanne up in his disguised hands and twirled her around once, ecstatic. He had not felt this good in several days. Then his watch beeped. Less than a minute left.

"I think we should run," he said off hand and he guided Roxanne quickly outside and she waved down a taxi.

"Bye!" Megamind waved and watched the taxi until it turned a corner and then he turned off his disguise. He looked triumphantly up at the museum.

"Time to put the past behind us," he said as he was about to embark on his most ingenious and pivotal plan yet. "Only the future..."

**BOOM! **Megamind jumped and ran out of the way as rock and debris rained down.

* * *

Roxanne did not hear the explosion; she was too excited and absorbed in her own thoughts. All this time she had been calling out to the city in search of a hero while the whole time she had never realized that she could be the hero herself.

When the taxi reached her apartment she dashed inside and sat down at her computer, opening up an aerial view of the city and ready to go to work. She felt the familiar excitement of pursuit and inquiry.

She thought back to her last day in Megamind's lair. She had been unconscious the entire trip there and back, but started to recall the things she had seen and heard. As she flipped through the view screen she picked up her cell phone. It was ime to take Frank up on his offer for time off, but for a very different reason altogether.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank's for the reviews everyone. I am especially glad to hear people's opinions about what I have added to the story for the background and transitions. Thanks again to my beta reader Your_Worshipfulness, who had helped me with most of these chapters, including this one.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Megamind belongs to DreamWorks SKG and I will not make any money from this fanfiction.

* * *

That night Megamind did not return to City Hall, instead he headed directly for his old Evil Lair. He set to work right away, his mind racing and his blood pumping with excitement as he laid out his most elaborate scheme yet, the plan that would undo all of his mistakes. Soon enough the many steps and elements for his plan began to fall into place as he organized a massive Hanging Idea Wall of Evil. Over a hundred cards hung from the ceiling involving every minuet details; he was not going to miss anything.

When the outline was complete, Megamind set about constructing the essential parts in order to carry out his magnum opus. The lair echoed with the deafening sounds of metal clanging and glowed with the bright fire of his welding torch. Megamind never tired of his life's work even as the night drew long and the sky began to brighten. In fact, it only ceased when Minion entered, carrying a box of donuts for breakfast and wearing a confused look on his fish face. Megamind leapt up in excitement before Minion could say anything.

"Minion, good; you're here!" Megamind snatched a donut from the box, took a bite, and used the remaining donut to scribble a note on a bulletin board.

"Sir what's going on here?"

"I'm glad you asked! What you see before you is my most inspired, brilliant, dastardly plan yet! I'm going to create a new hero for Metrocity!"

Minion was baffled. "Create a hero? Wha-? Why would you do that?"

"So I have someone to fight!" Megamind exclaimed. "Minion, I'm a villain without a hero. A yin with no yang." Megamind held up his half donut. "A bullfighter with no bull to fight. In other words, I have no purpose! Now, ask me how I'm going to do it," he said, excited. "Go on! Ask!"

Minion sighed. "How are you going to do it?"

Megamind laughed with excitement, climbed onto a ladder, and started to wheel it wildly around his lair so he could point out various ingenious segments.

"I'm going to give someone...I don't know who yet...Metro Man's powers! I'm going to train that that someone to become Metrocity's new hero." Megamind pointed to a hanging picture of Karate Kid's Mr. Miyagi. Then he fired his diffusion gun and the ladder skidded to the other side of the lair. "Over here! Follow! And then finally, I'm going to fight that hero in an epic battle of good and evil. Which will put everything back the way it was...when the world was perfect and rosy."

Minion was still baffled to the point of silence even after Megamind explained his new found goal in life, but Megamind continued and dragged Minion forward to a large, white cloth tacked to a bulletin board.

"Behold, Minion, Metro Man's cape." Megamind extended a magnifying glass. "Look closely. Tell me what you see."

"Dandruff?"

"Mwahaha, yes! It's his DNA." Megamind picked up a petri dish with a sample. "From this we'll extract the source of Metro Man's awesome power." He walked over to a large machine in the rough shape of a microscope that a giant might use and soon the several gears and lenses started revolving.

Minion was no longer quite so confused, but now he was beginning to feel a bit nervous. Usually he never objected to Megamind's ideas-that was not what a minion was for-but this idea seemed worse than usual. Especially since it seemed to involve harnessing Metro Man's power. No ordinary person ever held such a serious responsibility and might not be quite as understanding about the pulling of punches and the giving of sporting chances.

"Sir, I think this is a bad idea." Minion finally said.

"Yes! This is a very wickedly bad idea for the greater good of man." Megamind exclaimed.

"But I'm saying this is a kind of bad that...OK, you might think is good, in your bad perception, but from a good perception it...it's just plain bad."

"Oh, you don't know what's good for bad," Megamind scoffed and he used a pair of tongs to retrieve the glowing, refined sample that the machine deposited. He trotted over to a large gun meant for the crucial portion of his plan; infusing the chosen hero with Metro Man's powers.

"Now, we have just one shot at this." Megamind delicately inserted the sample, lifted up the infuser gun and turned a few cranks. "We must find a suitable subject, someone of noble heart and mind, who puts the welfare of others above their own." The gun was now glowing bright gold and felt warm, ready to seek out the new, chosen hero for Metro City.

Suddenly and out of nowhere electric music filled the lair.

"What on earth is that?" Megamind turned around, looking for the source of the annoying tune. It sounded nearby.

"It seems to be emanating from there sir." Minion pointed to Megamind.

Megamind reached into his clothes and realized that the sound was coming from Bernard's cellular communication device he had stashed there from the previous night. He opened it and spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Ollo."

"It's 'Hello'." Minion said.

"Oh. Hello? Like that_?_" Minion gave a thumbs up.

"_Bernard, it's Roxanne."_

Megamind looked up in shock. "It's Roxanne," he hissed. He was not sure why she was calling and what she sounded all excited about, but it was good just to hear her voice, really. She was the closest thing he had to a worthy enemy now.

"_I just wanted to thank you for inspiring me the other day._"

"Oh. You inspired me too," he said, with sincerity that he realized also carried unknown irony for Roxanne.

"_Great! It's time we stood up to Megamind and show him he can't push us around._"

"Oh, oh really?" Megamind said with a hint of amused skepticism. He turned to Minion. "She's so cute."

"_I'm already hot on his trail._"

"Uh huh. And what gives you that idea?"

"Uh, sir?" Minion tried to draw Megamind's attention. The lair's surveillance view screens showed an excited Roxanne and a much less excited Hal right outside. All the while Roxanne was talking into her cellphone.

"_I just found his secret hideout!_"

Megamind was livid. "**How did she find my hideout?**" Considering his outburst too late he looked down at the cellphone, but he had managed to cover the earpiece. "Um, how did you find his hideout," he asked Roxanne, this time more subdued.

"_This is the only building in Metro City with a fake observatory on the roof._"

So it was. Megamind tried to reassure himself over this gross oversight. "Ok...there's no way she'll find the secret entrance..."

"_Ah! There's a doormat here that reads 'Secrit Entrance'!"_

Megamind whirled on Minion who was trying to look inconspicuous. "Minion!"

"I kept forgetting where it was," Minion replied sheepishly.

"She'll discover all our secrets! You dim-witted creation of science!" Megamind shoved Minion into a cabinet and raced across the lair to draw a curtain in front of his idea wall.

_"What?_"

"What? Oh no, not you Roxanne. No, I was just yelling at...my mother's urn. Don't do anything. I'll be right there."

He was starting to panic. The discovery of his plan would destroy the motivation for his yet-to-be discovered hero, not to mention he serious embarrassment he would suffer should Roxanne discover he was actually trying to remake Metro Man. He gasped in horror...what if she saw his action figures or collectable supervillain novelty lunchboxes? He could kiss his street cred goodbye.

Megamind turned the dials of his watch and once again he adopted the appearance of Bernard-_Ugh, why did the eyes never come out right? _ He hurried to the back of the lair and saw Roxanne emerging from the entranceway with a camera in hand and her eyes already examining every nook and cranny.

"Roxanne?" he called out.

Roxanne turned and lifted up her camera, ready to strike, but once she saw Bernard she relaxed.

"Oh...I'm glad you're here," she said in relief. "Wait, how did you get here so fast?"

"Well, I uh, happened to be speed walking nearby when you called."

"In a suit?"

"Uh huh," he stammered, trying to keep up with Roxanne's feet and brain. "It's called...formal speed walking. But that's not important. I better take the lead. This way looks exciting." Megamind gestured to a door that lead to his Exciting Room. Right now he was hoping that a good scare might get her to leave or at least direct her away from The Plan.

"No, it says 'Exit'." Roxanne pointed out.

"Uh, which is the abbreviation for 'exciting' right?" Megamind said, honestly confused. Roxanne ignored his diversion and narrowed her eyes on the large curtain. She walked past him pulling it aside, revealing the Hanging Idea Wall of Evil, in all it's terrifying glory.

Roxanne's face brightened and she let out a sound of joy. Megamind gave a similar sounding outburst, but for a different reason.

"This is the mother lode!" she exclaimed. "Wow... just look at this thing." Roxanne started walking through the maze of ideas and looked at the hanging cards while Megamind cringed behind her.

"You know, I really could use your help in deciphering all this."

"Really?"

"You're an expert in all things Megamind, right?"

He was...or Bernard was? Great. "Yes. Right," he had to agree, emphatically.

"Together, we could figure out his plan for the city and stop it." She paused and turn back to him. "Are you in?"

"Oh, what fun!" he said with all the fake enthusiasm he could muster.

"That's what I want to hear." Roxanne started taking pictures. Megamind stepped behind her and whispered into his watch. He needed to get her out _now_.

"Minion, Code: Send in the Brain-bots."

"_You know, the whole point of a code is..._" he heard Minion begin to say.

"Oh, Code: Just do it Minion!"

A second later several Brain-bots emerged. _"Intruder. Intruder. Intruder._" They swooped towards him and Roxanne. Roxanne managed to dodge out of the way, but, as he was disguised, the Brain-bots continued on, grabbing Megamind and lifting him into the air.

"Stop! Bernard!" the Roxanne called out before Megamind saw her vanish as they turned a corner.

"It's me you fools!" Megamind hissed. He managed to wrench a hand free and spin the dial on the disguise generator. "It's Daddy." The Brain-bots dropped his unceremoniously.

Megamind stumbled to his feet and disentangled himself from his cloak. He saw Roxanne round the corner, gasp and glare at him.

"Megamind. What have you done with Bernard?"

"Oh, Bernard? Oh yes." His missing disguise had a lot to explain for, but Roxanne obviously seemed to care for him, so as any wickedly evil villain would do, he used a hostage. His eyes drifted to the small, metal doors of a cellar. "I'm doing terrible things to that man. I don't want to get into it, but...lasers, spikes." Megamind swung the doors open.

"Oh, please no! Not the lasers and the spikes!" Megamind leaned into the cellar and spoke with Bernard's nasal accent. Then he turned back to Roxanne and smiled.

"You know, the drill." Megamind turned back towards the cellar.

"Oh no! Not the drill!"

Roxanne stepped forward. "Let him go! Or..."

"Or what?" Megamind said with amusement.

"Or I'm gonna find out what this weird looking gun does." Roxanne raised Megamind's prized infuser gun and pointed it at him. The cartridge glowed golden and hummed eagerly in her hands.

"No don't shoot!" Megamind cried out and waved his hands. "Don't shoot that gun. I'll just go get him." Megamind had to concede and leapt into the cellar to retrieve the captive, but he was not going to let himself be embarrassed further and let "Bernard's" escape seem easy.

"Unhand me you fiend!" Bernard called out.

"Never!" Megamind growled.

"His strength's...too much!" Bernard emerged briefly, looking very strained.

"Oh, I work out!"

"Well, it's really paying off." Bernard gasped. "You're so fit...and strangely charismatic."

The cellar doors shut for a moment and then Bernard tumbled out and hit the opposite wall. Roxanne approached him and leaned down to him.

"Are you okay?"

"I tried my best," Megamind-as-Bernard sobbed. "But he's too fantastic!" Roxanne smiled and helped him up.

Megamind reached out towards her. "Here, let me carry that heavy gun for you."

"I got us covered." Roxanne said confidently and strode past him. Megamind snarled behind her and switched off his disguise. He was through being nice. He ducked behind a cabinet for a moment.

"Let go, it's mine!" Megamind leapt out and grabbed the gun, but Roxanne still held on.

"Bernard run!" She shouted over her shoulder. The struggled a few moments, yanking the gun back and forth.

"You're going to break it!"

"Give it to me!"

BANG! Suddenly the gun went off and the glowing sample began to ricochet around the lair. Megamind watch it, memorized, while Roxanne ducked away. The sample entered a pipe and started to bounce around.

_"Roxanne?" _A male voice from the outside called out. The pinging of the sample grew a little fainter as the sample made it's way through the pipe to the outside.

"Owwww!" The man yelled and there was a thud, as through he had fallen to the ground. Megamind gasped and ran over to the view screens. A man was on the ground, clutching his nose and rocking back and forth in pain. Minion emerged and examined the screen as well.

"Who on earth is that?" Minion asked.

Megamind did not know, but he knew someone who did. He needed to find Roxanne and he needed to get outside.

He ran back towards the entranceway, turned around a row of shelves and gasped. Roxanne was opening his "Exit" door. He spun the dial on his watch and ran forward. Out of the open door he heard his own disco music and the sounds of snapping alligator jaws. Roxanne let out a scream as she swayed on the edge of the doorway.

"Roxanne!" He grabbed one of her flaying arms and pulled her back.

"Bernard!" She gasped and smiled in relief. "You were right about that room being exciting."

_"Intruder. Intruder. Intruder."_ A swarm of Brain-bots descended.

"This way." Megamind pointed towards the entranceway and the two of them broke into a run, but the Brain-bots started to gain on them. Megamind saw Roxanne snatch something up.

"What are you doing?"

"This'll stop 'em. Here." She tossed him the object and he gasped when he saw it was a live stick of dynamite.

"Seem's a bit extreme, doesn't it?" Megamind turned to the side and tried to blow it out.

"Just throw it!" she shouted.

_"Daddy's sorry." _Megamind hissed, cringing at the thought of how much repair work he would be doing later for his beloved robots and tossed it behind him. The Brain-bots stopped and watched the dynamite roll towards them; they thought the object was one of their familiar games of "Fetch-the-Wrench".

Megamind heard the sound of loud explosion and glanced behind him. Flames were racing towards them. He heard Roxanne cry out.

They were almost at the hidden entrance. He and Roxanne jumped through the wall and the explosion flung them through the air. They landed hard on the ground, but in one piece.

"Wow. That was really exciting," Roxanne gasped.

"Yeah." Megamind agreed. He was gasping not only with exhaustion, but also with euphoria at the near death experience.

"You were very strong in there."

Well, he didn't like to brag, but... "I know."

"I've never seen anyone but Metro Man stand up to him like that." Roxanne and Megamind were still lying on the ground where they collapsed and she turned to gaze at him with admiration.

"What's going on?" A groggy, nasal voice broke the brief silence. Roxanne turned towards her cameraman.

"Hal, what happened?"

Hal stumbled to his feet. "I think a bee just flew up my nose. I was just about to make my frontal assault to rescue you, but like, fifty ninjas tried to attack me, so I had to beat 'em all up, and I, I did, and they were all like crying and stuff."

So this was the man who was unknowing infused with all the superpowers and legacy of the late Metro Man.

"Wow, brave one isn't he?" Megamind said with admiration, but also a hint of sarcasm. The man clearly could not fight one ninja let alone fifty in his current state, but at least he could pretend to be brave and have visions of grandeur. Perhaps fate had done its' work.

For the first time Hal noticed the disguised Megamind. "Who are you?"

"Oh, this is Bernard." Roxanne gestured to him. "He's my partner."

Megamind gave Roxanne an odd look. Hal looked incredulous.

"Partner?"

Megamind was baffled. He was only vaguely familiar with the word, but it seemed to have a positive meaning. Judging from what they had been through he would guess that she meant that the two of them had worked together rather well, from her point of view. He would need to continue to play along.

"Yes, yes partner."

Hal narrowed his eyes at the disguised Megamind. "Look partner. I'm her partner. She doesn't know what she's saying! She's had a traumatic experience!"

Roxanne turned to Megamind and smiled. "I'd better take him home. Thanks again Bernard." And then, to his complete surprise, Roxanne stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

At first Megamind tensed. He had never experienced these 'hugs' before, but he had observed them being exchanged by others. Her action was sudden and felt strange...but it was also gentle. He was unsure how to respond, so he could only follow her example and wrap his arms gently around her in turn. He relaxed in her embrace and felt a feeling like warmth spreading through him, a very good feeling. Almost comfortable.

Roxanne eased out of their embrace. Megamind still held his arms slightly outstretched.

She smiled. "I'll call you tomorrow, partner." There was that word again. Roxanne gave his shoulder a playful jab.

"Yeah...yeah," he stammered, searching for words. He actually did feel good about possibly seeing her again. "I'd like that."

Hal's face had a green shade of envy as Roxanne steered him towards the van. "That was weird for everyone, because you accidentally hugged him instead of me." Megamind did not take his eyes off Roxanne, even after she got in the van and it drove away.

"Sir? Sir! Code: Did you find out who it was?"

"Uhhh..oh, oh." Megamind finally became aware of Minion's voice calling out from the watch. He spun the dial and returned to his normal appearance. "Code: Get the car."

"Code: Right away sir."

* * *

Author's Note: Once again Your_Worshipfulness was my beta reader for this chapter and she did a great job.


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